


Mother'sTale

by SilversunXD



Series: Mother'sTale [1]
Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: AlternetTales on the way with first edition, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Bitch'sTale, Death and reanimation, F/M, Mmmmmmaaaaaaagggggiiiiiccccccc -jazz hands-, Mother Bear, Part two in process, Poltrigist Chara, WARNING: SOUL EXPERIMENTATION IMPLIED, ghosts from the past, working things out with DETEMINATION
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-02
Updated: 2017-10-23
Packaged: 2018-12-10 10:41:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 23
Words: 42,703
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11689950
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SilversunXD/pseuds/SilversunXD
Summary: I need to keep my past from clouding their future, at all costs. I promised them I would be the best mom I could be to them when they were born. No one-or-thing will keep me from protecting my child. I am DETEREMINED to find Frisk down here UNDER the GROUND before MS figures out we are still alive. Frisk, stay DETERMINED. Wait for Mommy, I'm coming!(I own nothing, but my OC)





	1. A Frisk Worth Taking

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys! I have a Tumblr account! My user name is sistuff, so if yall ever see a fanart inspired by my stories, give me a notification please! For all the great people out there who can or will create the FanArt, no matter what it looks like, I want to see it and give credit for it. (well IF there is going to be any FanArt).
> 
> Thanks a bunch and see you guys in the comments!
> 
> P.S. i don't really have anything on my tumblr account, so it will be empty for the unforeseeable future.

A Frisk that was worth it

Confined screams muffled by taut closed lips whispered through the small clinic. Rushed breathes, white knuckles, blood dripping from her hand. The woman pushed against herself to bring a new life into the world. This new life was a risk but a risk worth taking. Dark blonde hair was brown from the sweat dripping from her face as she grimaced and finally gave birth to her child. A child her lover left her before his end.

Fatigue fogged her mind as she distantly hears the wails of her child as she briefly went through the afterbirth. Skin pale and clammy, she panted for breath. Opening a bleary eye, she looked around in a pain filled daze. Her Child was being cleaned and wrapped in a soft purple blanket.

The woman smiled as her child quieted down in her arms. Exhausted and stressed, she smiled widely anyways. Truthfully, she cannot hide or run away from her past or cover it up with pathological lies for long, but she will give this child – her child a world where they can be safe.

A coo broke the woman out of her DETERMINATION. She looked more closely to her child's eyes as they slowly opened into slits, but it was just enough to see the dark chocolate eyes they inherited from their father. Golden blue eyes welled with tears and emotion. Smile turning softer, the woman offered her pinky to the child's clenching fist.

"Hello there, I'm your Mommy, and I promise to be the best I can be for you, Frisk."

Xxxxxxxx

Two year old Frisk wailed in their high chair. It was lunch time and Frisk had yet to take a nap. Kia groaned into her fork. She was eating some leftover spaghetti she made the other day while Frisk had leftover wheat pb&j with some gold fishes, a bit of her reheated pasta on the side was untouched. It was the weekend, her time off from her job. She just wishes Frisk would cooperate with her so she can relax and enjoy her break.

Placing down her fork, Kia hand spider crawled the edge of her child's tray to get the fussy one's attention. Once the child did see her hand, they squealed, making Kia smile tensely at the high pitch.

"NNNOOOO! MINE!"

Then they processed to gather their sandwich rinds, remains of gold fishes, and untouched pasta to one side then off the tray to the floor, thus starting another bout of frustrated wails. Shoulders slumped in defeat, Kia went through the motions of cleaning up her child and refreshing their water bottle to ready them for a nap they won't take.

After twenty minutes of calming down Frisk to sleep, Kia decided to take a nap herself. Waking a few hours later, she stretched to wake her tired muscles. Lumbering over to her little one's room, she opened the door to see tremendous mess of toys and clothes with a used diaper in the middle of it all and her child frozen, head tucked under the destroyed blinds of the window. Kia guessed that Frisk was peeking into the outside world to stare at the street outside.

Standing there staring, Kia gave a start when Frisk squealed.

"MOMMY!"

Running right up to the baby gate in front the child's room, Frisk jittered excitedly all the while shouting,

"NAKED BOODY! NAKED BOODY! NAKE BOODY!"

Wanting to cry at the mess she needed to clean up now and the pee spot she was sure to be somewhere, Kia laughed her belly laugh instead and grinned. Her little sunshine, monkey butt.

Xxxxxxxx

Exhausted, Kia trumped quietly downstairs. She had just read a story to a sleepy four year old Frisk. Extremely tired, but unable to sleep just yet, she headed to her wooden opponent. She practiced her Chinese Kenpo for a few hours until she heard a suspicious click. Wrapping her fingers around one of her wooden counterpart's arms, she whirled around with a short staff to disarm and club the intruder into unconsciousness. It took a glance at the familiar emblem in the person's sleeve to recognize the situation. Instantly, Kia dashed towards her child's room.

Seeing the door ajar, Kia smacked open the door to see two goons nearing her child. With quick steps and determination, she had taken out the two trash bags. Almost immediately after, she was clubbed on the head and restrained by a large opponent. Vision bleary, Kia struggled in the brute's hold until she noticed another person nearing her sleep-like-a-log child. Before the figure could utter anything, Kia gave out a wordless scream loud and high pitched enough to wake her child and the neighbors.

"Wha- Mommy, what's going on?!"

Seeing her child awake, Kia shouted for them to run before being muffed by a meaty hand which she immediately bit down on. Series of thumps and thuds sounded in the room before Kia could process anything. She was pinned to the ground with her hair in the grip of the one holding her down, very heavy male by what she could feel on her back. She was forced to watch as the other guy now sporting a bloody lip started to choke her struggling child fiercely, obviously pissed off.

Bright Red consumed her vision. Then she woke. Frisk desperately clinging to her waist. Below her, the man who choked her child was a bloody mess. Her knuckles were split. Her left eye was gummed shut with blood. The guy had it far worse. His face was an unrecognizable pulpy mess, his arms swollen and tattered sleeves.

Kia turned to look at her child to see a darkening bruise forming on their neck. Frisk had since let go of your waist when you moved with them off the intruder. Immediately noticing the darkening bruise around their neck, Kia moved to check them but froze at their frightened look. Tears flooded her eyes.

Frisk was terrified of her.

Xxxxxxxx

A move soon after the incident and a year after listening to the doctor tell her that her child's voice box was damaged, their voice had since healed, but they can only talk softly. Any louder and it would hurt them to speak. Frisk mostly spoke with their hands now-a-days in sign language.

They had settled at the feet of a mountain range. The town was small but homely. The people were nice and closely knit community. Frisk started to improve after another two years there. They started to make friends. They even spoke to her more. They started to tell her how they were at school. They started to ask for her help on homework. They even asked to learn how to defend themselves should the need arrive, again. Kia knows that they still have that fear and mistrust in her, but it was progress to forgiveness. Even if she didn't really deserve it, she would be content with whatever decision Frisk made.

Xxxxxxxx

Three peaceful years have gone by so quickly. Frisk is now around eight years old. Things of late have been quiet for some reason. Kia was trying to not to be so paranoid.  
Did she really scare off those demons three years ago? Were they just waiting for her to slip up? Were they really safe? Is Frisk really safe here?

Kia absently sliced up an orange. Frisk will be home soon from school. They keep going on and on about what they hope to do for summer break in a few days. Kia smiled before wincing. The door slammed shut with such force that Kia knew Frisk didn't have a good day. Frisk was usually so calm and happy.

Small chimes tingled the house as Frisk rushed. Frisk dumps their backpack next to the counter Kia was at with her cutting board. They trumped over to the table roughly sit down. A dull thud resounds through the kitchen as their head connects with the wooden table. A small moan follows.

Kia mulled over what she could do to make them at least smile. She glances at the orange slices and smiles.

"Knock, knock?"

Frisk rings the little bell on their wrist to get Kia's attention.

" _What_ ," they signed. Kia pauses for a moment, awkward. She was never really good at puns, but she started the pun.

"You're, uh, supposed to say 'who's there,' but, uh, orange."

" _Orange who_ ," they asked with their hands. A small sigh could be heard.

Kia managed a weak smile as she presented the tasty snack to her child.

"Orange you glad to see me?"

Frisk tucked some of their chestnut brown hair behind their ear. Their almond shaped eyes were almost able to hide their chocolate eyes. They gave a weak smile in return before they started to eat. Kia chuckled weakly. A hand came up to rub the back of her neck.

"Yeah, that was terrible. Although, really, Frisk is something wrong? You are moodier than you should be before summer break."

They munched softly on their fruit before sighing. They raised their hands to sign, but paused at the chime the bell at their wrist made. Kia started to worry when they paused but stayed determined to be patient and listen.

" _Well, some of my friends wanted to hike up Mt. Ebott_ ,"Frisk signed. Kia stiffened. They both heard of the rumors and legends surrounding that mountain. Kia focused more on what they were telling her.

" _But… when I reminded them of the caution of being on the mountain, they ignored me. Then Ms. Smith from next door heard them, and they got in trouble with their parents. She lectured all of us about_  
_what happened to her brother that went up the mountain years ago_ ," Frisk continued signing.

Kia nodded. She had also heard the story. Ms. Smith's brother as an upcoming Jr. Boxer. He had wanted to show his courage by climbing the mountain, root to peak and back, but he never came back. Kia laid a hand on Frisk's other shoulder to symbolize a side hug across the table to show her support.

Kia noticed that Frisk started to fidget and become nervous. Kia knew that stance.

"Sweetheart," Kia began but noticed their wince, making her wilt a bit in sadness, "You want to ask me something?"

They pursed their lips and gave another sigh.

" _Can we … climb Mt. Ebott together?"_

Frisked looked up at Kia's devastated expression, and started to rush their hands to explain why, in a panic. Frisk knows that their mother has had an unsavory past, but they also know that she was trying to give them a good life. They still felt a little betrayed, angry, and sad at their mom for holding back her story from them, and having found out a small piece in the most undesirable way imaginable to an four year old.

" _Wait! Wait! It's just, I want to talk about what happened but in a more secluded spot! I don't want to disappear or for you to do so either. I want some time to sort this out without_ -"

Frisk's hands became illegible after that as they started to flail at their mom's tears falling down her sad face. Frisk has only ever seen her cry once four years ago. They watched their mom wipe at her tears and try to calm down to stretch their usual fake smile into a small warm one.

Kia took a deep breath. This was it, she guessed, an opportunity to spill the beans and whatever. With some determination, she calmed down enough to grab Frisk's hands to still them without shaking herself. Giving a smile, Kia nodded.

"Alright, MonkeyButt, let's go on a hike."


	2. Explanation

Chapter 2: Explanation

Two weeks later, it was fully summer break. Frisk was fully equipped with a couple of days of clothes, sleeping bags, food, and water. I was carrying our tent, cookware, lamp, GPS, more food and water, and my clothes. I was still wary climbing the Mountain. Anything could happen, so for any cases of over staying against our wills, I had written notes. Those tell the scant few people I trust where we are, how long we are supposed to be on the mountain, and if should anything happen, they should rescue Frisk at all costs … and me as an afterthought.

We are currently halfway up the mountain on our third day of the week and a half stay. We had set up our camp. Had a night of s'mores and terrible ghost stories, admittedly Frisk had the better stories. They seemed so realistic! One was about a fish woman hunting down a child in a swamp with a harpoon. It was terrifying! I sucked at anything scary, horror-filled, and even a parody of the stuff. I can't handle those, so I suck at telling them. It's kind of sad that my own kid is better at scary stories than me.

It was during the lull of stories and eating mushy sugary treats that Frisk asked the question I was silently agonizing over. With a chime of their bell and a flurry of hand signals in the firelight, they asked me about the intruder-people from four years ago.

I chewed slowly on my s'more and eventually placed down my unhealthy sandwich. I turned towards my child to see them fully. They looked the same as I last saw them. Chestnut brown hair a bit tousled but neatly circling their head. Their skin nicely tanned from playing outside so much. Blue and purple sweater, dark jeans, and black boots all neat if a bit dusty, it was really their eyes that startled me most. They were usually squinted, but now they were open. They were older and wiser than they should be. Stomach in knots and fingers playing with each other, I began my story.

"Well, it started when I entered a martial arts competition. You know how I use Chinese Kenpo and Jujitsu. Well, when I came around to the finals-"

_"Whoa, you got into the FINALS?!"_

I paused and chuckled merrily at their response. They were all starry eyed and awed. They were just too adorable!

"Hehe, yes, Mommy was strong enough to make it! And I was, gah, lost the thought! Give me a moment… Right! My opponent for the finals was a young man who didn't seem to believe in mercy or a fair fight."

I paused. Reliving the memory for a moment before sighing sadly, I glanced at Frisk. I wonder what their thinking to have that expression. It was quiet guarded.

"This man was fierce and relentless. It wasn't until the middle of the fight did I recognize the emotion behind his blows."

*chime* I looked up at Frisk to see what question they had.

_"What do you mean by that? 'Emotion behind his blows'?"_

I smirked a bit.

"Well, when you get to a certain skill level in your martial art, you begin to have a Conversation of the Fists. It is when you are in a fight. The heat of battle can close off many things, but can also open up just as many doors to the mind of the opponent. The emotion I felt was desperation. He was desperate and angry. He needed to take me down. I didn't know the exact reason why, even to this day, but I believe that he was trying to protect someone outside of the arena. He was just giving his all.

"In surprise, I had actually let my guard down for a moment and I black out from his punch. When I came about, I was still able to fight. I was determined to win the competition as well, but from the panicked expression I saw when I first opened my eyes, I knew I could win in his flustered state, but I didn't do it."

*CHIME*

I leaned back my child's flailing arms.

_"You LOST! Was it on purpose?"_

Lifting a hand to rub the back of my neck, I shrugged with a wink.

"Who knows? I lost the completion mostly fairly, but in my heart I had won. I didn't need a medal or a sum of money to know I won, but from unknowingly helped someone."

I watched as they looked down in contemplation, before whipping their head up with a frustrated expression. I raised my hands in peace.

"I know that didn't explain what happened years ago, but I'm getting there. Please be patient. This is a bit hard for me to talk about."

I took a deep breath to release some of the pressure on my chest, but it did little. I heard shifting. I looked up to see my child in front of me with arms wide open. I grinned, warmed by their gesture. I scooped them up and held them close. I felt a bit better now. I tilted back to watch the moon. Frisk leaned against me to watch with me.

"You see, it was after that competition that it all went downhill. I was alone in the women's locker room, all patched up and changing into my regular clothes. I had taken a moment after doing so to sit in peace, content with myself. I had felt a sharp pain prick my neck, and I fell unconscious. When I next woke, I was, uh, I was in the back of a moving van. I was tied up and gagged with tape covering my mouth to keep me quiet. I was terrified. I stayed awake worrying. When I was finally taken out, I-I …. I wasn't in the best condition."

I paused to take a deeper breath. I looked down at a horrified Frisk. I said too much! I sighed and frowned. I petted their hair to calm down the both of us.

"I'm sorry. It's in the past. Do you want me to continue?"

They nodded in determination. I huffed a laugh. Seems they inherited something from me after all.

"If you are sure, I will continue, but stop me if I…  
"I was noticed by some Mobster/scientist during my competition, so I was kidnapped. Apparently, I wasn't supposed to wake up after that blow to my head that made me black out. That really caught their interest. I was kept in a building with a lab for about a year and a half. I learned during my 'stay' that my opponent was one of their former test subjects. I didn't get to learn more about him."

I stared into the fire. Memories of all the tests flashed at the back of my mind. I flinched when I felt a small familiar hand on mine. Glancing at the conjoined fingers, my larger hand was spotted with blood. I gasped before a flicker of firelight ruined the illusion, showing dusty calloused unbloodied hands as they were. Exhaling shakily, I felt Frisk squeeze my fingers. I pressed my lips together and gently squeezed their hand back in gratitude.

"It was actually the place I met your Father. We were both test subjects to the morbid people, and we had formulated a plan to get out of there. It actually took a few tries, but we made it out. We were able to get to the right people to take care of the sickos that had held us hostage in the next city over. The few people that wished for freedom was granted, the leftover muscle and brain the operation went into hiding. Let's just say they don't like me anymore as a test subject."

I shivered in the mountain air and pulled Frisk closer to me. I couldn't stop shivering. Warm tears pooled into my eyes threatening to spill. It was starting to get hard to speak through the tightness of my throat.

"Y-your Father and I had changed our names and gotten married to live in the present and look to-to the future. I was actually expecting you when they came. They had ambushed us in a public park. We-we struggled and they- they…"

I couldn't speak anymore, but I would think that my point was made. I felt Frisk hug me, and I held onto my child, my last line to this life, my happiness. After maybe five minutes of sentimental cuddling, I looked at my dark surroundings and the smaller fire. I glanced at a sleepy Frisk. I smiled. I feel lighter than I had in years.

I heard a quiet chime. Frisk was signing something.

_"Do you believe that even the worst person can change? That anyone can be a good person if they try hard enough?"_

I took a moment to answer. Had I not been through what I did, I would have immediately answered positively. I did though, and I am not so sure anymore.

"Maybe"

I heaved both of us up and started to kick some dirt into the fire to put it out. Frisk mumbled a moment, protesting the movement. I chuckled.

"Come on kiddo, it's half past sunspot on my wrist; it's dark; and we are both tired. Let's hit the hay."

Their response was to curl up into my arms as much as they could. I was a short person at five foot two inches. Frisk had apparently also has inherited my short stature, for this stage of life. They only stood up to just above my hips. I smiled and kissed near the crown of their head. I looked back up at the moon in content.

Xxxxxxxx

_There was rushed breathing, the smacks and cracks of flesh against flesh, and the scribbles and clicks of a keyboard._

_I panted in exertion, as did my opponent. I blocked their punch, grabbed their arm and flipped them on the unpadded concrete floor of the sparring room. He coughed up blood as he attempted to swipe my feet out from under me._

_I didn't want to do this anymore!_

_The moment I paused to let him punch me in the gut, electricity passed through my neck to my entire body. My screams only increased the voltage. Deeper screams joined mine. When it stopped, we heaved breathes since we haven't eat much in the past few days._

_"DT, B2, continue sparring!"_

_I was DETERMINED to get out of here, one way or another. Bravery 2 has already failed three time getting out of here, but I WILL make it. One day, I will get out of here…_

I sat up in my sleeping bag instantly. Sweat ran down my neck, feeling like my sins were crawling down my back. I panted faster as I saw the blood on my hands again. I tried to keep quiet with Frisk nearby.

'No, no, no, no! I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!'

The blood started to move. They started to form the other test subjects' names. I fisted them close so tight I could see them turn white in the dawn light.

'Wait, dawn?'

I looked up through the mesh of our tent to see that it was dawn. I forcibly slowed my breathing to calm down. I looked back at my hands to see them without the blood, but I know they will always be there.

I glanced over at Frisk. I sighed in relief at their peacefully sleeping face. Feeling sticky, I got up but paused at a small crack sounding outside.

**They found us.**

Heart beating wildly, I woke Frisk gently. I shushed them quietly when they woke. We moved about quietly. Moving my hands, I glanced to see Frisk frown and sign back. We argued for a moment until Frisk agreed with my plan. I unzipped the entrance and grabbed the nearest rock. I threw it at our spy.

Men and woman, a total of five, came crashing through the foliage. They either failed at catching Frisk or were pulled into a fight with me. At the current moment, I didn't know if there would be more people out there to catch Frisk. I just needed to take out these guys for Frisk. Frisk does not deserve to live my past. I fought with determination, for Frisk.

I heard Frisk scream. I turned to see Frisk being held in the air by the collar of their sweater. Images from four years ago moved the assailant's hands from the sweater to Frisk's throat. I must protect Frisk!  
"RUN!"


	3. The Fall

Chapter 3: The Fall

Bruised and bleeding, I woke to see unconscious bodies all around me through a red film.  I staggered from my stance.  I hacked up blood in gushes.  I was blinded by the blood trickling from my forehead.  Some of these guys had knives. I held a hand to my side, on my deepest cut, to keep from spilling my guts.

I'm dying.

I stared at the red all around me.  Red.  REd.  RED!  Blood is red.  Red is determination.  Determination to save Frisk.  I must live!

I walked in a daze of pain until I remembered which direction Frisk ran.  My child is still out there!  I must find them ... and protect them.

I stumbled on some rocks.  The blurry red surroundings had darkened.  Am I going BLIND?  No, the rock made an echo.  I'm in a cave.

"..."

"...lly"

"The kid's dead!  We both saw it fall down the hole, so let's get out of here!"

I froze.  No.  No.  They CAN'T be!

"Alright!  You coward-!  Well, if it isn't DT, you look a mess. Ahahahaha!  You are _literally_ dead on your feet!  The Docs are going to love this.  Determination really _is_ something!  Come on, let's go and get you fixed up to play with, like old times."

"Dude, I don't think she can hear you."

I was hearing them, just not listening to them.  I had kept on going, towards the voices until my shoe made contact with something.  It made a chime. Frisk's bell.  I fell to my knees.

"Shut up!  Let's just grab IT and go."

I held onto their bell and screamed hoarsely into the cave in despair.  Something resonated with me.  Something powerful.  Frisk will be okay.  Frisk will be fine.  Frisk will be ALIVE and WELL.  I _will_ live long enough to see it for myself!

"Jeez you can scream, we get it!  Shut up already!"

Bell clenched in my hand, I stopped screaming and ran for the demons, DETERMINED to pass them and get to Frisk.  I threw off the hands that grabbed me.  I heard a scream die off towards the light, the mouth of the cave.

"Jeez!  Alright!  If you want to play it that way, fine!  I have permission for this anyways!"

I turned towards him, away from the cold spot next to me.  I began to roar and charge at him until BANG!  BANG!  BANG!  Three shots passed through my torso.  My feet left the ground ... and I fell into the engulfing darkness.

**_xxxxxxx_ **

For a moment, I thought I was dead, but I felt pain.  I could hear my thoughts.  I feel something around me.  It felt like that one time I stuck my hand into Jell-O and slick gummy worms on a Halloween night so long ago, only with my entire body.  It was thick, but I was sliding through it easily.  I blinked for a few moments, but it didn't do much.  Everything is dark enough to not make a difference.

Suddenly, there was color!  I winced in pain and closed my eyes again as I landed on something semi-soft.  I looked around with strangely blood free eyes.  I still had my wounds.  I still felt pain.  I groaned and tried to keep still.

I opened my eyes to see a flouting heart, about the size of my fist.  It was bright, blood red with spider web cracks.  It also looked to be bleeding.  Heh, a bleeding heart.  Then it did something.  It turned a centimeter to the right and vanished.

Everything went dark again as pain jolted through me, more powerful than before.  I woke in a daze.  I puzzled this out until I gasped.  A realization hit me, if _I_ can live through this fall, with all my injuries, Frisk has to be ALIVE and ALRIGHT!  I groaned as I moved.  I had landed on my back.  I rolled over and stared for a moment at the color yellow.  It was flowers.  I bowed my head and panted as another jolt of pain went through me.  I was in the process of getting my arms under me when something happened.

I was falling again.  It was the same sensation as before, in the same sequence.  I looked around in confusion.  Sudden vertigo assaulted me as I witnessed the light changes.  I turned my head in time to empty the s'mores I had in my stomach onto the same flower bed.  A foul taste pervaded my mouth.

I watched as the bleeding heart glow and bleed before me again.  It was still tilted a bit.  It turned a centimeter more and vanished, again.  I also blacked out once more as well for the same undeterminable  amount of time.

When I woke, I felt the same pain, the same wooziness, and the same determination.  This time I rolled over slower.  I slipped my hands under me.  I stopped when I heard humming.  It sounded feminine.  Has a different team come down to investigate our possible bodies?  I wiggled under the blooms and froze.  I watched through the stalks of the flowers for any movement.  I grew tired of holding up my head for surveillance and rested it on the dirt.

I heard a gasp.  I guess I wasn't as hidden as I thought I was.  I growled deep in my throat to warn off whoever it was.  It was in vain as I up chucked more blood onto the flower bed.

"Oh, dear!  Please calm down, I am here to help.  I will take care of you."

The voice was kind and gentle.  I felt oddly shaped hands turn me over.  I was able to see white and purple before blacking out from the pain.  I woke again, only to feel immeasurably better ... and stiff.  I was comfy too.  I opened my eyes to see everything clearly again.  I could  _just_ fit the bed.  I winced as I moved to sit up.  I glanced down to see my modesty was covered in bandages.  I was kind of thinking I was a mummy when I looked around.

I was in a child's room, orange and simple.  I looked to the door when I heard footsteps behind it.  I tensed and hissed in pain.  The door opened to show me the person.  I opened my squinted eyes to stare at a very tall bipedal goat in a violet blue rob.  The expressive face they had brightened with a smile as they saw I was awake.

Thoroughly befuddled, I half listened to the Goat-human as they worried over me.  They gave me a large shirt to pull over my head to have something to wear.  I was practically swimming in it.  Once I computed that there was a Goat-human that actually cared about how I was and won't kill me, I was able to calm down.  I smiled up at the kind person.  Maybe they know of something about Frisk!

But before I could ask them anything or even get a name, I was falling again.  I was injured just as badly before Goat-lady found me.  Pain exploded all over again as I had clenched my eyes shut from the fresh pain, like I was just injured.  No, it felt worse.  Like I was falling part by dust particles instead of drops of blood, I felt the pain grow worse and worse with every time I fell. Ahahahaha, I've actually lost count with how muddled my mind is with pain.

I landed back onto the same flower bed.  I stared at the same tunnel I fell into.  My black outs seem to last longer than the ones before, somehow.  I watched as the crack, bleeding heart turn a bit more.  The same thing happened over and over.  Sometimes the Goat-human named Toriel would find me.  Sometimes, she would not.  She would never remember me every time.  Now, the heart was just three-fourths of the way to being upside down!

NOTHING MADE SENSE!

And, I've had  _enough_ of this.  I need to find Frisk.  I need to know if they are alright.  I  _need_ to know they are ALIVE!  Clenching my jaw through the pain, I didn't bother rolling over.  I felt my blood squirt and glug out of my wounds as I sat up, using my elbows to help me balance.

I was falling again.

I shouted in rage and DETERMINATION.  I will stand if it is the last thing I do!  I twisted myself in the air to land on my feet in a crouch.  A red circle pulsed from my feet to my surroundings before disappearing.  I staggered and almost blacked out again, but I locked my joints.  I shook my head to clear my mind.  I will not succumb to this anymore!  I felt a pulse buck throughout my body.  Pain coursed right after it.  I hacked up blood in coughs.  I panted as I stumbled into a wall to lean on.  I opened my eyes again.

I stared in shock.  My-my blood was not red anymore.  It was- it wasn't even blood!  It looked more like heavy ash or-or dark sand.  I hissed and grabbed my side.  I wobbled in shock as I actually felt my flesh crumble like loose sugar cookies.  I watched as grey bits of what used to be my muscle fall from under my shirt.  They hit the ground in a gray pile of dust.

Hesitantly, I checked the rest of my form.  Somehow, my clothes were clean, aside from some dirt.  I still had Frisk's bell clenched in my fist.  My wounds were still open and weakly pouring the substance that used to be my blood.  The skin around my wounds turned gray and crumbled to dust at a touch.  The rest of my skin was still pale from all the blood loss.

I was decaying while standing alive!

I laughed.  I laughed because I didn't want to scream anymore.  I cried.  I cried for my lost humanity.  I also noticed that the salty liquids are red, like what used to be my blood.  Only, they were clear red, and they glowed slightly.  I laughed harder.  Those scientists and meatheads finally did it.

They made me into a MONSTER.


	4. The Ruins

Chapter 4: The Ruins

I calmed down from my hysteria fit a few moments later. I let the pain embrace me. Giving me focus, I glanced at the bell in my hand then glared on head, towards the only exit from this room. I use one of my crumbling hands to slide against the wall as I neared the doorway. Looking at my hand as I moved, I noticed only my bones were left behind on my palm. Left hand was half bones. My right hand still had flesh on it.

Getting an idea, I jingled the bell in my right hand. I smiled for a moment. Then I noticed the purple string had snapped a the knot. I pursed my lips. Rage flared for a moment at imagining the scenario for this to happen. A metallic groan sounded from my fist. I immediately check to see if I dented it worriedly. With DETERMINATION and using what was left of my left hand and my teeth, I retied the knot with the bell around my wrist. I _will_ find Frisk, and I _will_ give this back. Staring resolutely, I took the first step in the direction of the unknown.

Passing through, I was stopped by yellow bloom with a face. I was turning into a zombie/skeleton monster. Why NOT a flower, with a face and can talk. I really want to roll my eyes. Did MS create this thing too? Maybe, maybe not. I spaced out while staring at its false smile. Eventually, I ignored it and started to move past.

"Hey! Hey! HEY! Don't want to listen, fine. **I'll just have to take your** _ **SOUL**_ **!** " *cackles*

I stopped to glare over my shoulder at the annoying weed. A strange red glow softly illuminated the cloth on my shoulder. The flower had changed its smile to a malice grin as little white seeds flouted around it. It doesn't seem like something MS would create, but it has been a long time.

" **So the human decided to listen to me, well** _ **TOO LATE!**_ **"**

Suddenly, colors drained into black and white as a white boarder like rectangle surrounded us. The same cracked and bleeding heart I kept on seeing over and over again showed up in front of me, glowing bright red as usual. So, it was my soul? I expected it to look like something else. It was tilted still.

I waited for the Flower to attack. Nothing happened. Was it full of hot air? Glancing at it, its face had a horrified look to it. So it wasn't created by MS, it wouldn't be that shocked. I grinned, full teeth. It was kind of funny. Even a _flower_ was shocked. Of course. Of course, it would be scared. The heart in front of me fractured more. Pain coursed through me again. I coughed up more sand/blood.

"No, no, it can't be! That is impossible!"

I shook my head and moved. The flower flinched and disappeared back underground. I noticed that the color in my surroundings came back. Ignoring that too, I continued walking. I crumbled a bit more.

I came to a room with two sets of stairs, both leading to the same door. Just beyond a square of dirt, there was an orb of light just flouting there. No electronics as far as I could see. I eyed the flouting star suspiciously. I didn't want to touch it in case it was really hot. I didn't want to lose my hand so quickly.

I fell into it instead with one misstep on a misplaced leaf. That and I think a part of the lame leg that slipped crumbled a bit. I had expected to feel the burn as I should be consumed by fire. Instead, my vision went _white_. Usually when I'm close to a black out, everything would turn _black_. A kind of darkness would creep at the edges, consuming my vision. This _white_ vision was different.

My mind froze for a moment. I stared at the ceiling, taking in the jagged rocks and rough texture. Slowly, I began to see some kind of pearly white pulsating _thing_. I continued to stare at it as somehow it became, I don't know, like wet _glue_. The thing shimmered and a large dollop began to stretch towards me. I winced and tried to move. Nothing happened. I struggled more. Nothing happened. I started to get extremely nervous as it grew closer to me.

With loud BLIP, the drop speeds towards me. I expected it to hit me full force and disintegrate me instantly. Instead, the drop pulled me in and disappeared through my pores. It felt like I was suffocating before as I took a deep clear breath. Warmth surrounded me. It was really comforting, considering everything.

I blinked open my eyes, wishing I hadn't. I was still on the floor. I slowly got up, looking down as I did so at the suspicious lack of pain. My clothes were still torn and dirty. My wounds seem to still be there, only weeks old. I looked up at the red glow. The bleeding heart reversed its turning a bit, almost as if it was on its side. Brow furrowed, I watched it disappear back into my chest.

Immediately after, I lifted my shirt to show my midriff. It was still tinged gray around my wounds. The crumbling seems to have stopped, but some parts of my flesh were visibly missing in ash gray dented spots. Poking one spot and wincing, my finger came away covered in bloody dust. There was a layer of painful spongey gray on top of my healthy flesh. I clenched my fist in DETERMINATION.

I sighed and got up. I wobbled and almost fell over. A chime from my other hand, I hardened my expression. I firmed my stance. I scaled the stairs and passed through the doorway. I looked around the next room. Same purple surroundings, but there were raised gray bricks before a yellow switch on the opposite wall. I pursed my lips. I continued looking. A stone plank on the wall on the other side of the sealed door way out of here.

I wobbled over to the plank. The words seem to be readable.

'Only the fearless may proceed. Brave ones, foolish ones. Both not walk the middle road.'

I glanced at the gray stones. Counting them, I found six in a cluster. Easy enough. I waked on the four stones on either side on the middle two and pulled the switch. With a grind of stone against stone, the door way was free to walk through. Pulling some of my filthy long hair behind me, I clutched my side with my other hand and proceeded. The next room, I stuck to the path until I came to the spikes in my way. This place was rigged everywhere!

This was quickly getting annoying.

I back tracked and looked about the room more carefully. There were three switches in total along the wall on my left. I was able to pull the first two and was going to pull the third when there was a loud metallic thunk. The spikes were gone. I moved on and passed a dummy to the next room. I walked through the strangely paved room to the hallway.

Before I could make the first turn in the hallway, something leaped into the spot in front of me. Quite honestly, it looked like an albino, oversized frog squatting on its child. Things are so weird down here. What other kind of creatures reside here? Then it did something I didn't expect it to do. It spoke.

"Wait! Taller Human! What are you doing here?"

It sounded like a cross between a croak overlaid with words. Wait! Taller Human? Has it come across Frisk? I was going to respond but the Frog-thing leaped towards me. I sidestepped.

"Now hold on a minute! Have you seen a small child come by here?"

"I have! Ribbit Ribbit! The Caretaker took them in. The Caretaker is very kind."

The Frog-thing leaped again. I side stepped again. I didn't like the sound of that. How can I trust this Frog-thing's word? A stranger took in _my_ child! What are they going to do to them!?

"I must know where this 'Caretaker' lives. Will you tell me? I just want to know that my child is safe! Please"

The Frog-thing stopped its leaping attack and stared at me before smiling.

"She lives at the end of The Ruins. She is very nice. I'm sure she'll listen to you about the kid."

I don't really know about that. I don't exactly trust this Frog-thing, but it is the most I can go on right now. I gave an unsure smile before leaving.

"Thank you"

I turned the corner. I read the plank on this wall.

'The western room is the eastern room's blueprint.'

I didn't really know what it meant until I came to the next room. The spiked floor was a dead giveaway. Now I am worried even more about Frisk. I inspected the spikes. There wasn't any blood or bits of clothing, so I would like to believe that they are alright. Huffing, I dipped my feet into the water. The water was lukewarm. I waded in chest high water. Pausing for a moment, I thought for a moment before dunking under the water. Rubbing my thick hair every which way, I cleaned off as best as I could. Coming back up, I breathed a sigh of relief. It felt better being clean-ish. I lifted myself up and flopped onto the wood. Water seeped and poured down the edges of the bridge.

Taking a glance back, the water had sticks and leaves flouting on the surface. It also turned a gray-brown color instead of the cool light blue it was. I hadn't really realized how dirty I actually was. Feeling kind of guilty for soiling the water, I left towards the next room. After crossing the corridor, I came to a smaller area filled with leaves, a Frog-thing, and another one of those stars.

I headed towards the star. I went through the glue drop once again only standing and less nervous. My soul was almost right side up. My wounds were just pink now. Rolling my shoulders, I looked ahead with DETERMINTION. Once the experience was over, I moved over to the room on my left. All there was a pedestal with a candy filled bowl on top.

'Take one'

Not one to eat candy much, I took one and left. I went down to other doorway beyond the neat piles of leave. I came across a crying fly-ghost? It trembled under my gaze and fidgeted. Feeling bad and a bit guilty, I moved on beyond the strange white butterflies it was trying to attack with. It was almost pathetic and pitiful.

I walked down the hallway and made a leap over the cracks on the floor. I came over to another room with spikes blocking my path. Seeing the gray tile and rock, I proceeded to pick it up to set them on the button. The spikes went down. I passed through. The next corridor, I fell through the floor on my first step. I grunted when I made impact with the neat pile of leaves. It was a good thing my wounds are all but gone at this point.

Sitting up, I looked around, grumbling in annoyance. I noticed the path the leaves made. I followed it to a plank.

'Please don't step on the leaves'

Raising an eyebrow, I did as followed. I walked through the only door in sight. I yelped when I was sucked in and spat out on the upper floor. I sat up immediately to see where I was. I sighed in a gust of frustration. Not even gonna question this place, I carefully walked on the cracks in the path pattern in the leaves down below. I toed the cracks until either: I fell and start over or finally getting on the other side. Calming down my anxiety and rising temper for a moment, I continued.

I was picking up a rock in the next room when I dropped it, hugging my hands to my chest, in surprise/shock at a moving land jellyfish jiggled in front of me warningly. A shiver slithered down my spine, wiggling my hips at the living jelly in front of me. These things are making me uncomfortable. I stared at them warily when they paused and jiggled, giving off a happy feeling. Clearly befuddled, I tried wiggling my hips again since I don't really know to shiver my spine consciously. They responded by swaying with my hips in rhythm. They moved away eventually, jiggling themselves further away with every sway.

Thoroughly creeped out, I moved back to solving this rock puzzle. I was on my third one when it spoke. Barely even touching it, I retreated my hands back in alarm.

"Jeez, everyone is getting hand-z today. First a kid, now taller version of them, what is this world coming to?"

I immediately crouched down to get face to, uh, surface with the rock. My hair had straightened and darkened to a deep brown color during my improvised bath. It should lighten and curl when it dries, but the point was that if this rock said that a smaller version of me came by, it must me Frisk!

"You said kid. Did you meet a young child before I came here?"

"Well, yes, I did indeed. They were polite little thing. They _asked_ me move to the button."

"Well, I apologize for my rudeness. I would you move to the button, so I may pass on to the next room, please."

"Ah, well, if you say it like that, sure thing sugar!"

Mr. Rock moved to the button. I thanked him and moved over to cross the retreated spikes to find them reappeared before my toes. Startled, I jumped back. My temper rising. I struggled to remain calm.

This place will bring about the _end_ my patience, I know it!


	5. Toriel, The Caretaker

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about that guys. Now, that I have update the weekend chapters. I may update today's chapter later on today or tonight. maybe tomorrow with its chapter
> 
> hm...

Chapter 5: Toriel, the Caretaker

After a couple more rooms and stumbling upon a Spider Bake sale, I came to an area with a dead tree with its red leaves all around its base. I looked at the seemingly ordinary donut in my hand. I had bought it from the spiders. I will tell you now: I am frightened by spiders. That fear is to a point of either finding the nearest blow torch and frying the arachnids in their stone chamber or running away as fast as I could. It was the ache in my belly that staid both of those responses. I was hungry. It has been, I don't know, hours since I fell down here. I was willing to chance these spiders for something good to eat. I mean, I've heard and read articles about some countries' people eating bugs as a part of their diets.

Besides that, I had actually found gold coins down here. Actual GOLD! Frisk and I could be set in my bank account up on the surface if I cash these in, assuming they have high karat quality. I used most of it to get a couple of donuts and 'Spider Cider.' I really hope that these really aren't made of spiders for how expensive they were.

Taking a cautious nibble, I found the donut gone. It tasted wonderful! And nothing like spiders! It was a fresh cake donut, my favorite. I took a cautious sip of the cider. It was, uh, no-fruit-I-have-ever-tasted-before kind of cider. I looked back at the glass bottle to see it empty. It was strange. I take a bite or a sip from food and drink and the rest disappears, but surprisingly, I am full.

I looked around. It seems as though the house in front of me is in use. The place was neat and orderly, nothing in too bad of disrepair. I trotted up to the star and touched it. The drop did not come. I wondered for moment, but brushed it off. If it -whatever it was- didn't want to do anything, then I'll just leave it be.

I really hope this 'Caretaker' is as nice as all those creatures assured me he or she would be. I walked up to the door, took a deep breath, and knocked on the door. For a passing moment, I thought of Toriel. I haven't seen her throughout my walk here. She was really nice. I hope nothing bad-!

Speak/think of them and they shall appear!

We both stood there in stunned silence. For my part it was from connecting the dots and at how tall she really was. She must be at least six feet five inches! She towered over me!

"Oh my goodness, please come inside. You must tire from walking through the Ruins on your own. I apologize for that. I usually go for a walk to see if any humans fall down here."

I walked inside the house. I gave her a small nod in understanding. Despite being overly frustrated and worn out from my walk, I could feel myself relax at the comfortable atmosphere in the air. I was lead into the left living area. It had a table, bookshelf, a large chair, and a cozy fireplace.

"Please, have a seat at the table. Do you like pie?"

I pulled back a chair before pausing. Butterscotch-cinnamon pie. I remember eat some a couple of reruns ago. I wasn't a pie fan really, but Toriel's pie is tolerable. I nodded with a smile. I watched her bustle off to another room. I turned back to table and my seat. I thinned my lips as an old annoyance became clear. I climbed into my seat, my feet dangling in the air. Despite being a full grown woman with a child, I was still too small for some furniture. I gazed in thought at the pretty yellow flowers in a vase in the center of the table.

It was when I started to feel the pit of worry I had in my belly that Toriel came back with a clean slice of pie on a plate. I thanked her and took a small bite to be polite. I gave a sad smile.

"If you don't mind me asking, is anything wrong?"

I looked up into her kind and worried expression. I sighed and placed down my fork as the rest of the pie disappeared. I wanted to cry now that I have moment to take everything in. The hike, the confession, the attack, the fall, the reruns, the bleeding heart, the walk through the Ruins, everything happened so fast. Tears started to pool in my eyes as my lips trembled with repressed emotions. I raised my hands to cover my reddening face of emotions. I didn't want to want to feel so exposed.

"Yes," I whispered brokenly.

I hunch my shoulders and pulled my knees up to curl into a small ball. I need to compress my surroundings before I start hyperventilating.

Everything was going so well! Why did the MS have to come back looking for me?! Why can't they leave me and my family alone? I'm turning into a monster. Now Frisk is somewhere I don't know. They could be hurt for all I know, and I'm just sitting here crying instead of searching for them like I should!

I stiffened when I felt warm gentle arms encircle me. Toriel was hugging me. It was comforting, but

"I'm sorry. It has been a really long and harsh day."

I don't deserve it. Not after what I put- am putting Frisk through. Toriel gave me a sad, understanding smile. She let me go as I rubbed away any more of my red tears. I uncurled and took a deep breath. Today has been a rollercoaster of emotions. I looked up at Toriel when she sat down again across from me. I shouldn't stay here any longer than I should.

"May I ask you something?"

Toriel gave me a smile and nodded.

"What would you like to ask?"

"Have you seen a child in the Ruins? They are about this tall with brown hair, and they should be wearing a blue sweater with two purple strips across their torso. We were hiking up the mounting when we were attacked and separated. I am lead to believe they fell down here before I did. The other creatures in the Ruins told me that you were taking care of them."

Toriel stiffened. She doesn't want to look me in the eye. I had a sinking feeling. I need to know where they are. I frowned when Toriel stood and took my plate. I stood and followed her to her kitchen area. There was a rather large pie with about a third of it gone.

"Please, I need to know where they are. I need to know they are safe. Please, do you know where they are?"

Toriel stood frozen by the sink with my plate still in her hand. I stood facing her back with a piercing stare. If she did anything to my child â€¦

"What is your relationship to the child," She asked softly, almost afraid of my answer. My stare turned into a glare. My bad feeling worsened.

"I am their mother. Tell me what happened," I demanded darkly. A strange red light shined on Toriel's back. I could feel something slipping down my face. I reached up and touch my cheek, only to feel teeth. I clenched my jaw. Fine. Whatever.

At my words, she slumped over the sink and shook with sobs. My glare melted into a frustrated pensive stare. I could hear her whisper broken apologies over and over again. My tense shoulders dropped and tears came to my eyes. The red glow softening until it disappeared. I can't stay mad at her if she is like this.

"Please, I need to know, before it's too late for me."

She turned her head to stare at me in confusion and gasped. I probably don't look the greatest. Tears slipped down and through my teeth. They still tasted like the familiar salt water.

"I am dying, or probably already dead, but I am too damn determined to die without knowing that my baby is fine. I need to see it for myself."

Toriel stood before me with her paw over her muzzle to contain her probable mortification. I turned my head to stop looking at her. A crack snapped harshly in the air. Pain coursed through me. I doubled over and cough up the same dark sand on my hand and on her floor. Only this time, it was more refined, smoother. I felt her paw hesitantly land on my shoulder. The muscle there crumbled a moment, gray dust falling through my shirt sleeve and collar.

"They wanted to go home, so I let them through the door to the rest of the Underground. The only way out is on the other side of the cavern where the other weak point of the barrier is located."

I nodded. I let her guide me to the living area again. I sat back down on my seat again and waited for her to tell me more. Instead, she left and brought back more pie and a moist napkin. I stared at it and then her. She looked incredibly sad and guilty. She had a slice of pie of her own.

We sat in silence for a moment before I picked up the napkin to clean myself. After placing the used napkin on the other side of my plate, I picked up the fork. I didn't know how I was going to chew this without it falling out. I set the piece of pie on my tongue and was surprise to feel it melt away. I heard a giggle. I looked up to see a slightly happier Toriel. She took a bite of her pie too. I smiled as much as I could. A couple of tears steamed. I had cheeks again.

"I know I looked terrible, but thank you. Will you tell me more about what happened?"

She sobered and nodded.

"You will most defiantly not like afterwards. Quite honestly, I envy you. You are so strong to hang on for your child. I do not deserve your forgiveness after I tell you the tale."

My soft expression dropped. I motioned for her to continue or start the story. She did so looking nervous. I listened to her recall the moment she met Frisk. I bristled knowing that _weed_ attacked my child. Next time I see it, I'll make sure it won't happen again. Toriel told me about the puzzles and the phone. My respect for Toriel dropped a little when she told me that she left Frisk alone in the Ruins to buy ingredients for the pie. She expressed her surprise and worry when Frisk found her at her home. With sad and guilt, Toriel spoke of her 'battle' with Frisk. My face blanked. Toriel rushed to explain why she did it. Something about someone named Asgore and souls.

When Toriel became quiet, I locked my fingers in front of me. I glared at the intertwined digits. My respect for Toriel had fallen low, but I also know that when Frisk has an idea, they are just about as determined as I am. I glanced at the crestfallen Toriel. She was staring at the flowers on the table, waiting for me to speak. I shift towards her, also gaining her attention.

"I will not forgive you nor will I forget this."

She nodded with serious understanding, looking resigned and a bit relieved. I softened my fierce frown as I continued to gaze at her.

"But, I know that Frisk can be as stubborn as I can be. Maybe when time has passed, I will forgive you for your reasons. I can understand that you wanted to protect them, but I do not approve of your methods. Please take me to the door out of the Ruins."

"I understand, but please, let me pack you another slice of pie for your journey."

I nodded and she busied off to do just that, with our dishes. I hopped down to walk to the stairs I saw earlier. I stood before the basement stairs and looked around in boredom. I saw something in the other hallway. It was shiny, reflective. I pursed my lips. I know I'm going to regret this.

I walked down the hall pass the doors until I came to the hall mirror. I stepped in front of it. I couldn't see it. I furrowed my brows. Wait, I shut my eyes. Alright, open.

I took a sharp inhale at what I saw. I was extremely pale with bruises under my eyes. My eyes were a dull blue yellow. My hair was still wave curly, but it lacked the blonde luster it had making it look brown, like Frisk's hair. My skin looked sunken in a bit, like I haven't eaten in a couple of weeks. I still had my muscled but there were sizable dents where they crumbled before healing.

I glared at my reflection. MS made me this way. Those MageScientists are going to pay when I see them again. I started when my eyes flared a shiny crimson. I started to cry glowing blood. No, I can't do that with violence. It will solve nothing. I must be greater than them. I must not stoop to their level. I may be a monster, but I will not be violent. I will take care of this with what little patience and compassion I have.

I clenched my jaw. My crimson eyes flared with DETERMINATION. A far off blip sounded somewhere. I didn't notice the drop, but at the moment I didn't care. This image will not deter me from my promise. This will change nothing. I will make sure Frisk is alright.

Even so, I raised a hand to hide my trembling lips and chin. My eyes dimmed back to the dull blue-yellow. I turned away from my reflection. I don't think Frisk would even recognize me anymore


	6. A Marshmallow - No Bones About It

Chapter 6: A Marshmallow - No Bones About It

After scrubbing my tears away, I met back up with Toriel. She gave me a side bag with the wrapped up pie inside. I had also placed my candy and glass bottle in there as well. It was filled with water. I gave her a small tired smile and my thanks. I followed her down the stairs. Through the dark purple halls, we came to the large stone door.

"This is the exit of the Ruins."

I nodded and rested my hand on the door. I turned back to Toriel. She fidgeted with her claws before sighing.

"I cannot express how much sorrow and regret I have for this situation. I wish you good travels, and please convey how sorry I am to Frisk."

I nodded and shook her paw. I noticed she didn't let go. I looked back up to her.

"May I know your name before you leave?"

I never introduced myself in this run. I firmed my hand in her paw and shook it once more.

"My name is Kia. Thank you."

We let go. I pushed through the heavy door. A furry white sad smile was the last I saw inside of the Ruins. I passed through a dark corridor with a spot of green moss on the ground. I had a bad feeling coming from it, so I continued on through the other door. Frigid wind whipped at my face and hands. I trudged on, closing the door behind me. I looked on at the bright white snow and gray frozen tree trunks. I looked up at the blurred cavern ceiling. The snow was coming from that blur above. I focused back on the path before me. I wrapped my arms around myself to preserve some of my body heat and walked.

I passed by a shattered branch. I glanced around warily. I had an uncomfortable, _familiar_ feeling. The feeling of being watched, being evaluated, being STUDIED. I suddenly I felt someone in the forest. As soon as I glared in their direction, I felt something coming from under me. I side jumped to avoid ... protruding femurs? They came up from the ground like the spikes in the underground. This person intends to kill me.

"Come out so I can see my attacker!"

I glared ferociously at the direction I believe them to be. I whipped my head back to the path. There they are. The bones disappeared to show me a skeleton. He wore a heavy blue jacket with fluff trimming his hood; his hands were tucked into the pockets. His right eye socket glowing a fiery cyan/yellow. He stared me down with that eye.

"Heh, tell me, what brings a _thing_ like you here to the Underground?"

His voice was deep and dark. Shivers chased each other along my spine. They weren't from the cold. These shivers are from knowing that you did something _horrible,_ and a harsh judge is evaluating you ... and he doesn't have mercy.

My surroundings turned dark. The battle area was made. My soul flouted out. It ... looked different. It looked bigger, bleeding faster and the cracks looked longer reached, if possible. I looked below it to a HP bar. Health points? It was four-thirds full. It seems my max health would be two hundred. To the right of the bar showed my name in blocky pixels. Next to my name was a LV 40. Was LV meant to be Level? Below the bar, I see four boxed words: FIGHT, ACT, ITEM, and MERCY. The fight button looked a vibrant orange along with the mercy button. The other two looked so dim.

I stared at the Skeleton. He began to sweat. I pressed for ACTION. A chime came from my wrist. I looked at my choices: Check, Talk, Joke, Taunt. I go for Check. He had one HP and one Attack point. He just needed my SOUL to free the Underground. Too bad, Marshmallow, I need to find Frisk.

"You know, it's rude to not answer the question. Do you got something to hide?"

Bones emerged from the ground is rapid session. Some of them were blue. I dodged to the best of my ability. I was able to avoid most of them, but a couple of blue bones got me. Apparently, if I don't move, they don't hurt me. I didn't get that until I was hurting too much to move after the first one that got me. Now, my soul turned blue with red bleeding out of it. The red dripping off of my soul looked off, almost orange. Then the attack ended. It seems there's a 'your-turn-my-turn' kind of rule here. I spat the dark ash pooling in my mouth off to the side. I checked my health bar. I think my sweat froze on the side of my temple. It only took one point off my health. I pressed Talk. My throat was released of a pressure I didn't notice.

"I'm looking for my child."

His eye sockets went dark. A description box popped up.

'Sans the Skeleton is too confused to fight.'

He has a font type for a name. I'm still going to call him a Marshmallow. I pressed Joke. Where is this confidence coming from?

"What's wrong Marshmallow? Got so caught up in the heat of battle that you made a sticky mess before cooling off?"

Marshmallow, Sans the Skeleton, looked shocked before giving a chuckle. His eyes turned into white pricks of light. Marshmallow and I stared at each other, the battle area still in effect. Then he closed his eye sockets and shrugged. The battle ended. A description box popped up.

'You won!'

Color came back, and I shivered. It's still freaking cold here. Some of my back crumbled. I looked back at the still skeleton. I pursed my lips.

"i wouldn't be able to beat you anyway. just know that if you go around dusting everybody, you'll be getting a bad time."

I didn't really understand by what he meant by dusting, but I nodded in understanding. I started walking until I stood in front of him. He knows something. I can feel it. He stared right back at me. He stuck out his hand. I blinked. I guess he wanted a confirmation on my side. I held out my hand to his and gripped his phalanges, feeling a strange rubber thing in his grip. A loud fart ripped through the silence. My face flushed bright red. A whoopee cushion, of course. I cracked a small humorous smile as I tried to hide it with my other hand. This is just too much. First he wanted to kill me, now he is pranking me. I heard him laughing, a deep chuckle full of amusement.

"the whoopee cushion in the hand trick, it never gets old. so what's your kid look like?"

I squeezed his phalanges harder, making him wince and stare at me warily. A screech and crack broke through the air making him wince. Dark ash passed through my lips, slipping down my chin. He stared in horror at something over my shoulder. A red and faint yellow glow was on my shoulder. I could only assume that my soul cracked more and turned on its side further.

I yanked his arm to make him face me. I looked up at him darkly and full of warning with my chin tilted down and copied his grin mockingly. Crimson washed over his face as I glared at him darkly. I could feel my hand's muscle starting to crumble in his phalanges, making me squeeze harder for a better grip.

"You really think I'm going to trust you after you tried to kill me, Marshmallow? You need to earn that trust before I give you any details. I'm going to need proof that you won't harm my child if I am going to let you anywhere near them."

Marshmallow's eyes went back to battle mode as he sweated in trepidation. I leaned forward a bit more to glare into his eye sockets more to get my point across.

"I also heard from the other side of that door that the creatures here are killing off _children_. I want to know why, and who is in charge of these murders. Any chance you can help me, Marshmallow?"

His eye suddenly darkened. I was staring into dark recesses of his sockets. I pursed my lips and leaned back to regard him. I let go of his hand when he was unresponsive. I was going to walk past him when he spoke in that deep threatening voice again.

"And what are you gonna do if I don't?"

I glanced back at him. We were shoulder to shoulder, facing the opposite ways. He kept looking forward. I sighed. Despite how threating I was, I don't think I could harm anyone again without killing them. I'm at a breaking point. My mind couldn't take anymore. I've harmed more than I would have liked in spite of the short years of peace I've had. I don't want to turn into the MONSTER the MageScientists wanted out of me, but I did. I just need to see that Frisk is alright and cared for before I go and disappear.

"Continue on without you," I whispered, staring at the path ahead of me.

He tilted his head down in thought. He straightened and stuffed his hands in his pocket. He turned towards me with his lazy grin and white dotted eyes. I turned to stare into those tired eyes.

"i made a promise to the lady on the other side of the door to protect the latest kid that came through. i don't know about how you are about promises, but i don't make them often."

I slumped in relief. I released the shaky breath I was holding. I felt so drained. I wobbled on noodle legs before they collapsed under me. I shivered in the snow. I looked back at Marshmallow. He was staring at me oddly. I clenched my hand/phalanges and turn my stare to the bell on my wrist.

"can I ask a question?"

I smirked.

"You just did, but go on."

He laughed for a second before sobering. He seemed to start asking me something before changing his mind. He looked back me as I stood up.

"why do you call me marshmallow?"

I blinked. I smirked. I held up my flesh hand to count two fingers as I started to walk. He followed after me, and we came to a small bridge with large wood pillars.

"Well, One: I didn't get a proper introduction. Two: Quite honestly you look as soft as a marshmallow."

"huh, well, i'm sans, sans the skeleton. another question: what is a marshmallow?"

We passed by a ratty lamp and a roofed stand. I looked at him oddly. I rummaged through my bag to pull out the Monster Candy I had. I show it to him before eating it. I winced at the blurred flavor. It wasn't made very well. At least my hand is back to normal-ish.

"It's a type of confection made of sugar and gelatin."

We came upon two pathways. Nearest to me was a star, I hesitated and stopped walking. Marshmallow stopped with me. I turned to him with a serious frown. He raised a brow bone. How is that possible?

"While I am walking through here, I'm going to ask again. Will you help me?"

He sighed and smirked tiredly. He was probably hoping I would forget that he didn't answer me directly.

"i'm sorry. sugar going to need to be more specific."

I gave him a bland look before rolling my eyes and crossing my arms. I faced him more firmly. I might as well roll with it.

"I don't know anything about the Underground or its rules other than what I have heard about earlier. I want to find my child before they, I, or we get attacked again. I don't want to die before seeing them with my own eyes that they are alright and in good hands. So I repeat: will you help me?"

He stood there staring at me. I glared at him. He shrugged.

"No promises, but i'll help when I can."

I smiled and reached behind me. I grasped the star as I said, "Thank you."

I'm coming Frisk. Stay Determined.


	7. The Final Reset

Chapter 7: The Final Reset

They first noticed something was different when they left the Ruins. Frisk had a bad feeling. They turned to look at their haunting friend, Chara. While they weren't exactly on speaking terms anymore for not going through with the plan during the last reset, even they seem uneasy. They fidgeted and glanced everywhere at least twice. Something startled them to looking back at The Ruins. They stared wide eyed that the stone doorway. Frisk stopped walking and looked too. Nothing stirred the silence of Snowdin Forest until something blinked into existence. It was red, and it was fast.

" _What are you doing?! Run!"_

Frisk didn't question them and just ran for Snowdin. They were just in sight of the too wide barricade where they usually meet Sans when the red passed over them. It seemed like everything had slowed before everything exploded in white. Memories turning to dust.

Frisk woke up with fear clogging their throat and a sore back. They curled in on themselves and shivered, remembering the bad guys' shouts, their harsh grip. Frisk rubbed their red wrist, hoping to sooth the area where their bell used to be. Tears pricked their eyes when they noticed the yellow blooms surrounding them. Calming down, they glanced around. It was pretty down here. The big columns and vines gave this place a nice old Roman flower garden vibe, and with the shaft of light coming down on them, it seemed like a special place. Wiping their stilled tears away, they stood to get a better look around. They moved around until they came upon a standing shadow. They walked around it to get a better look.

It looked like an older girl's figure, but the darkness that cling to the frozen figure blurred the older girl's features too much to be recognizable, but they could tell that they were DETERMINED or resolute about something. The shadow girl had billowing long hair haloing them as their shoulders were thrown back and squared. Their arms were tight with their elbows close to their body and their fist clenched, palm up. Their torso was perpendicular with the ground. The legs bent but tight in a sure stance.

Frisk giggled. The Shadow Lady reminded Frisk of their mom during training. Frisk frowned and tears started to well in their eyes. The last time they saw their mom was when she went into Protection Mode. It was terrifying seeing her like that again. Frisk shook their head. It couldn't be their mom. She was right behind them fighting off the rest of the bad guys to protect them. Frisk tip toed a little closer to the Shadow lady to see if they could make out anymore details.

A heart wrenching scream echoed softly in their ears, making them freeze. _Bang! Bang! Bang!_ Came an echo, Frisk clenched their hands together tightly in fear. They didn't know what was happening. They didn't like it. Not one bit. The cries became more desperate and softer until the noises disappeared, leaving a tense Frisk.

A sudden hissing sound startled Frisk into looking back at the Shadow Lady. What they saw terrified them even more. It was sinister dark red glow coming from the air to surround the Shadow Lady. It felt familiar somehow, but Fisk didn't want to stick around to find out which kind of familiar it was. Turning around, Frisk ran towards the archway out of this area. They didn't see the bright red smiling face within the blood mist as it giggled hysterically in the quiet room. The mist condensed until it formed a small child, Frisk's size, with that glowing face.

" _Isn't this a surprise? I didn't think there could be anyone with more DETERMINATION than me or that other human. Now that you're here, I can finally end this timeline once and for all, ahahahahaha!"_

Chara walked up to the Shadow Lady and started to hug her around the waist. They let the absorption process begin. Chara hissed and let go almost immediately after a moment of touch, a green haze was surrounding the Shadow Lady's figure. A tilted, cracked bright red SOUL bleeding green appeared before Chara, strengthening the barrier around its host. Chara glared at the almost inverted SOUL. Chara crossed their arms and pouted in a tantrum.

" _If it's going to be like that, then I'll find another way in!"_

Chara tried to overpower the damaged SOUL, but they were weakening. They need a SOUL to drain. Chara huffed and reluctantly left to find the other human. They needed to be sneaky since other human could sense their presence. With one last petulant glance at the better host, the poltergeist drifted off through the wall to find the other younger human to leach off them.

The Heart seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. The Green bleeding dripped enough to form a broken green SOUL. A masculine figure phased into existence before the dark frozen figure. He smiled sadly and reached for the lady's face. He cupped her cheek gently, as if remembering better times. A red drop peeked out of the space where the Lady's eyes were supposed to be. The ghost was soon joined by other people of varying colors of broken SOULs until the shriveled weeping red SOUL tiredly flouts between them and the Lady shrouded in darkness.

Each of the varying people had different expressions ranging from either sadness to frustrated anger. They all wore hospital paper gowns expect for the Green Man. They were the other test subjects of the MageScientists.

Without DT knowing, they had squeezed themselves forcefully into her SOUL to escape the pain and torment as they died by her trembling hands. They were not proud of what they did, but they would not have changed their actions in the same situation. If anything, it was MS's fault that they could escape into DT's SOUL. Her SOUL was so hollow back then, like she didn't dare to feel anything other than DETERMINATION. In a way, they were drawn towards her power, seeking shelter, seeking protection.

Now they flouted before their kind-of-savior. DT had escaped from MS's clutches with K4. She lived. She was happy. Then K4 joined their ranks sobbing having learned too late he was going to be a Father. DT SOUL screamed and cried for nine months after. Tired and in pain, the soul protecting them was bleak and fading into darkness. Then a new SOUL formed slowly below the rest of them. Frisk came into the world bringing back faded hope and that bright DETERMINATION. The SOUL flared back into its bright crimson healthy glow. Everyone watched through DT's eyes as the child grew. They grew to love them as much as DT did. Everyone felt the rage, the despair, the desperation and pain at the MS for coming back, haunting them like the shadow behind DT

Now, they were all DETERMINED to help Kia in any way they could. Kai, the Green Man, hugged his wife, crying with her. B2 joined him. I1 wrapped her arms around Kia's side. J7 flouted over and hugged gently with all his might. PE2, she was behind him. The rest of the two dozen formed a clump around Kia.

They all looked up to the ancient magic surrounding all of the Underground. They reached out. A rainbow of colors rising up to draw out the ancient raw magic, they need this power to help her before she's too far gone. They need to right her SOUL before she disappears forever from her own DETERMINATION. They flared their colors brighter to draw out the Barrier's raw magic, just enough to help.

A drop came down. A brilliant flash of white covered them, rejuvenating them all. The shriveled weeping red SOUL soaked up the magic swelling a bright crimson before returning once more into its true state: A bleeding heart filled with DETERMINATION.

Slowly, everyone slipped back into Kia's SOUL, giving her strength. The last to go was Kai. His emerald green glow wrapped around his wife's SOUL in comfort. Whether for him or for her, he couldn't tell. He cradled her face with his large hands as he rested his forehead on hers. Tears welled in their eyes again.

" _I'm sorry I left, but I would do it again if it meant for both of you to live again. Please be safe, don't get into too much trouble down here. I love you."_

He faded away as he placed a kiss on her lips, wiping away her tears. Kia's black ice shattered. Kia shook her head to avoid the dizzy spell. Suddenly, she trembled with pain. She hacked and coughed up dark sand and ash. She stumbled into the nearest wall to rest a moment, leaning on it. When she opened her golden blue eyes, she stared at her 'blood' in shock. She checked the rest of herself. Her side crumbled to the ground in a pile of gray dust. She laughed hysterically. She cried glowing crimson tears. The SOUL within her shuddered, the multiple other SOULs in her SOUL quaked along with her in despair and rage.

They _will_ help, in any way they can.


	8. Suspicions and Caution

Chapter 8: Suspicions and Caution

Sans watched the older human as she reached behind her for something. Is she going to kill him? He couldn't exactly win against her with _her_ kind of STATs. He waited for the worst. He blinked. He didn't exactly expect her to freeze up. He looked into her eyes and leaned back in surprise. He had seen the kid touch the SAVE point before, but their eyes never glowed completely white. That or their eyes were shut when they do it. He watched as he waved his hand in front of her face for a reaction. Nothing. Might as well make a call while they're conked out, he pulled out his phone to call Alphys.

"H-hello, Sans, is that, uh, is that you?"

"yeah, I need a favor. i'm sure you noticed that another human fell."

"I-I did! Are y-you alright?! I saw what-what happened!"

Sans took a moment to wiggle his phalanges on the hand this human had griped. Just their grip alone almost killed him. His HP fell to a quarter when they had finally let go. It was controlled kind of strength. He is going to need to eat some of his wares to recover.

"i'll be alright. it seems this human is looking for the kid. said they were hers. look, before we continue this chitchat, i need you to look up all we have on souls."

Sans glanced at the human to see if they were waking anytime soon. The glow in their eyes is dimming quickly.

"O-okay, I-I can do that."

"thanks"

Sans quickly ended the call and stuffed the device into his pocket. The human blinked before their yellow gray eyes focused on him. They raised an eyebrow. He just leaned back again on his slippers, glancing around. He looked back to them as he noticed movement. She pulled out a glass bottle. The bell on her wrist chimed. She reached it towards him. He raised his brow ridge, growing anxious. Had she heard his conversation? He glanced at her face. The bland look she gave him was proof enough. He shrugged as nonchalantly as he could.

"you know it's rude to listen in on people's conversations."

"And I'm trying to apologize for hurting you without meaning to. I learned that food and drinks down here have healing properties. Besides, you are quite literally in front of me. It's kind of hard not to listen to you."

He glanced at her. She didn't mean to? She apparently saw the look he had in his eye sockets and sighed. She pulled back her hand to rest it on top of the bag.

"No, I didn't mean to hurt you. I only wanted to get my point across."

"alright then, so what was that all about?"

He accepted the bottle of water. She gave him a puzzle look. He took a discrete sniff through his nasal cavity before taking a swig. His health restored. He gave the empty bottle back.

"you froze, and your eyes were glowing white."

Her face cleared as she put her bottle away. She shrugged one shoulder in return and started to walk. He followed behind a bit after. The SAVE point was gone. A shiver rattled his spine as he watched the human up head check the fishing spot with the lone fishing pole. She encountered Snowdrake. Sans watched in tense silence as she BATTLEd the other comedian. He winced when he saw her SOUL again. What could have happened for it to be banged up that bad?

Something changed. A bit ago, the human had shifted in a stance of some sort, dodging the projectiles skillfully. Now, she dropped that stance and just stood there, stepping to avoid the bird monster's attack. During their fight, she never dropped that stance until the fight was completely over. Sans shifted to get a better look. Sans couldn't breathe, not that he had the lungs for it. The red essence that dripped from her SOUL had turned aqua, a trait for PATIENCE. She smiled softly and giggled. Snowdrake seemed happy and left.

Relief drained his bones that the human didn't dust the other comedian. He studied her SOUL as it flouted back into its host. Its color returned to normal. The dripping essence changed a total of three colors by his count. Does she know that this happens? Was this a human thing? The kid's SOUL was fine though.

She came back with her arms surrounding her. A faint shiver was barely visible. She smiled weakly when she spotted him. He furrowed his brow bones. It doesn't seem like she is aware it happens or she knows it to be natural.

"Before I explain to the best of my ability, my name is Kia."

Sans blinked. _Kia_ waved awkwardly before rubbing the back of her neck. She sighed, the puff of heated air evaporating into the air. Sans stared back into her eyes. It was like being under a microscope, being observed by her eyes. They softened. This human is complicated.

"It's sort of like a vision. As soon as I touch an orb of light that seems to be everywhere so far, my eyesight becomes overcome by white. Don't really know how I could tell, but when I look up at the ceiling, a large dollop of something a pearlier white falls towards me before disappearing into me. It leaves me feeling more alive than before."

Sans stopped. Kia stopped too in confusion. The implications and possibilities of what she just said could complicate everything he knew about humans. What she said and the disappearance of the SAVE point, it could be that she is _absorbing_ magic. The Underground or the Barrier's magic, Sans wasn't sure, and from the way she described it, she didn't even know what she was doing. This could affect the entire Underground.

Kia's face became resigned and sad, like she realized what she was doing was wrong. She shivered more and tightened the hold on herself. She looked off to the side. She saw the cardboard station Papyrus crafted. She walked up to the note pasted to the front.

'YOU OBSERVE THE WELL-CRAFTED SENTRY STATION. WHO COULD HAVE BUILT THIS, YOU PONDER, I BET IT WAS THAT VERY FAMOUS ROYAL GUARDSMAN (NOTE: NOT YET A VERY FAMOUS ROYAL GAURDSMAN.)'

She smiled gently. Sans watched as she glanced over the crude structure with (fond?) amusement. She reached to touch it, but she stopped and pulled back her hand. She seemed to wilt. Sans hadn't even noticed they had come this far.

"Hey, could you tell me how they are doing."

Sans barely heard her as she whispered. Sans wanted to smack himself. Right, she heard the entire conversation on his side of the phone. Playing dumb won't do any good.

"last I saw them, they were doing fine. with the pace they were going, they should being nearing Snowdin. It's the town here in this area."

"Okay"

Sans shifted, uncomfortable. Why isn't she questioning him? She was so adamant earlier about finding and protecting her kid. What is she thinking? Sans just couldn't understand.

He heard her take a deep shaky breath. When she turned, Sans had a moment of actually seeing how worn she really is. She was about as white as the snow with bruises similar to his own under her eyes. She was visibly shivering now, and she held herself tighter for warmth. The light cloth jacket she had on not doing much in terms of insulating the body heat much. Looking at her taut hands, one looks like it had a thin stretch of gray skin covering the bones instead of the muscle that function it between them.

She ignored Ice Cap and walked away from the ice monster's BATTLE. The most powerful human to ever fall into the Underground ignored the FIGHT button. If she is usually like this, then how did she rack up that much LEVEL OF VOILENCE? Is it actually an act? Who is she?

"If you have something to ask me, just ask me. Staring isn't going to pry answers from my mind."

"alright, how did you end up down here? you know of the other human's disappearances, so why did you guys climb up the mountain?"

She stiffened. She didn't look at him as she walked on ahead.

"i wouldn't walk further unless you want to be attacked by a member of the royal guard. the only why i can help you is if you help me understand what you want."

She stopped but didn't turn around.

"I want to find my child."

Sans could have rolled his eyes if he wasn't too frustrated by this conundrum in front of him. He already knows that she wants to find the kid. He wants to know about how far she is going to go to do so.

"what kind of measures are you going to use to find the kid?"

She whirled around and glared death at him. Oh shit, he was so dead. He readied himself for the worst. Magic flared in his eye, ready to fight or flight. What actually stopped him from doing either were the glowing red tears trailing down her disintegrating cheeks. He took a step back when she marched right up to him and reached out with one skeletal hand and one hand on its way to being the same. She lifted his stout frame by his jacket. It surprised him that, even though they were roughly the same height, such a slight frame could be so physically strong. Did it have something to do with her LV? Did it have something to do with being human?

He watched wide eyed with shock as her face crumbled to soft bone features of a skeleton with glowing crimson eyes glaring into his own magical eyes. Her tears looking like blood trails over her cheekbones. He winced when she started to shout through croaks and cracks in her voice. The screams from her SOUL were making him feel sick.

"I know! I know what I can do. I know what I am capable of! I just want to find Frisk! I won't hurt anyone, but if anyone gets in my way, I can't say what I will do, won't be regrettable.

"I just want Frisk safe. I don't know anyone down here except you and Toriel, and she can't do much right now inside of The Ruins. You are the only one I know, and I don't know if I can trust you, but you are the only one that can help me..."

Kia's strength seems to have faded as Sans was able to stand. Sans didn't know what to do. He just stood there. Kia's head was bowed and almost touching his clavicle. Tears dripped onto the snow, melting the once ever present fluffy water.

"I don't want to hurt anyone, but if Frisk is not safe, I don't know what will happen. I'm dying. I-I don't have much time, and I feel that, that if I don't find Frisk something even worst might happen to them. I just want them safe."

Sans stood there with darkened eye sockets, watching the breaking SOUL in front of him sadly. Kia had sunk to her knees letting the tears flow as she stared, dazed. Despite his worries about her outright confession of killing any monster getting in her way, he felt bad about pushing her so far. He snapped out of his thoughts and uncomfortable feelings when the abnormal human tipped over and face planted into the ground.

He reached for her, but hesitated. He could just get Doggo or Lesser Dog over here to take her away to Asgore while she is at her perceived weakest. Suddenly, he thought of Papyrus.

"I heard voices, but I can't see anything moving. Whoever spoke move now! But if you are human, I'll make sure you never move or speak again!"

Sans froze. It was Doggo. He was at the beginning of the other path towards his station. The dog treat smoker scanned the area around Sans and Kia, completely missing both. The Royal Guard pulled a drag from his treat before stomping back to his station. Sans relaxed. He knew he was going to regret this, but if he can get this woman to the kid, things could turn out right. He just needs to keep anyone from wanting to confront her for the kid, away from her. Kia's SOUL was in no state to use for the barrier, but her kid's SOUL was fine.

Undyne was at the top of his list people to avoid. Sans laid a hand on Kia's clavicle, and shortcut out of Snowdin Forest.


	9. Papyrus

Chapter 9: Papyrus

When I woke, it felt like some axe was cleaving my head in two. I lifted my hand to rest it on my forehead. A strange clicking sound was produced. Opening my eyes, I looked around in confusion before focusing on my hand. I gasped.

"No"

I stare at the off white bones that make up my hand. I sat up. I coughed up dust. I looked for my bag immediately. It wasn't there. I saw red droplets falling. Scowling, I reached up to rub them away, determined to ignore the bones' texture, but the same clicking sounded. Denial first raced through my mind before acceptance settled in. I stared dully at my hands. A soft crimson glow illuminated them along with the drops tracing through them. I didn't care about my tears anymore.

This was it. I wasn't human anymore.

I clenched my jaw and fisted my phalanges. No, I just need to eat something. I think I still have some flesh left. I can go back to normal. I just need to eat or drink something.

I pulled my loose collar forward. Yup, I still had some flesh left. Gray, crumbling flesh but it's there. Hesitantly, I let one of my hands feel my face. I heard the scrape of bone on bone but couldn't feel it. I 'felt' my phalanges dip a bit into where- Oh dear, are those my eye sockets? How do I even _see_? I don't have eyes anymore or a nose. That just crumbled away. My eyelids where still there though, just harder than they were. I tapped one of my 'eyelids' to hear the hollow taps. I slid my hand up to run it through my hair, thick as always. I guess skeletons can have hair too. Then again, I'm more of a decaying zombie turning into a skeleton. I rubbed the back my neck vertebrae. That 'felt' weird. I shivered, hearing muffled rattles of my spine.

I looked around once again, only more closely. I rolled my crimson eye lights. Of course, I'm in a shed somewhere. At least, it had heating. I pulled off the blanket pooling around my hip bones and jeans. I straightened my jacket and zipped it up properly. I stood up slowly from the bare musty mattress, testing my new form. I wobbled a moment, dust falling in lumps to the ground. I noticed the small mounds of dust surrounding my horizontal figure on the mattress. I huffed and patted myself down to be mostly clean. Once done, I wanted to swipe the dust off the mattress. After a moment of wondering, I did so as best as I could.

I looked back at the dim shed. It was strange. It has the same musty off smell as a forgotten shed, but it seems it has been lived in. There was a desk, an old tread mill; trash littered everywhere, a pillow besides the mattress, a perfect wad of sheets on the lower part of the mattress, and a strange phenomenon going on over by the door. It looked like a miniature tornado made of trash. There was a plate of food in it too. Seeing how the pasta was stuck to the plate and not flying around with its plate, I left it alone in fear of food poisoning. Would that happen?

As common sense would indicate, I went to the door first. Listening through the wood, I couldn't hear much. I tried (fiddled, not really having a good grip anymore) the door knob, locked tight. Looking back, I spotted the window. I moved over there to see if I could open it. It did a couple of inches but no more. The frame wasn't cared for properly. It had grime, natural dust, and ice smothering it. Looking through the foggy pane, it wouldn't look like I'd make it anyways, second story. What was left of my shoulders slumped in defeat. I looked back at the unsanitary room.

Sudden mothering instincts kicked in, I started to straighten up the room. Years of picking up after Frisk, this habit helped me calm down. It was strange to do this with phalanges instead of fleshy hands. I collected the crumpled up pieces of paper and threw it into the tornado. I placed the crimple free papers onto the desk in a neat stack. I left the paper note on the tread mill. The dust I left on the mattress would be a nightmare to get out, so I left it as is.

I cautiously sniffed the wad of sheets. Not that it would matter anyways since the mattress was beyond saving; I wish I had my vacuum. It would make this so much easier. Static filled the air as I jerked at the intense glow and headache. I blinked a couple of time to see if it was really what I saw. There it was my vacuum. It was transparent lined in hazy red, but it was my vacuum. Using it, it was silent as the particles whirled in the expanding chamber as I went about the room. I used the familiar attachments to clean up the bed as best as I could.

I unrolled the surprisingly less- than-musty-sheets to properly lay them out. I fluffed and placed the pillow back where it should be. I glanced at the enormous magic container of unknown substances floating in the air. I glanced at the open-ish window. Somehow, I was able to dump everything out the window. I looked about the room in satisfaction and fatigue. That took a lot out of me than I expected.

WAIT A MOMENT! If I can make a vacuum materialize, then I can unlock the door! I must be more out-of-it than I thought. I wobbled over to the door. Kneeling to half rest and half better grip on the dang thing, I focused on it and the thought of unlocking. A click sounded, I sighed in deep exhaustion. I twisted the door knob before I could blink. Freedom! But, as soon as I took a couple of steps, I felt extremely light. I collapsed. What I heard last was a loud exclamation before everything went dark.

I woke again on a lumpy surface, my headache worse than before. Immediately sitting up, I looked around what looked like a living room. A door to the outside! I made to stand but fell over. I huffed and puffed in short breathes. Darkness was reaching the edges of my vision when I heard something. A familiar clatter of pots and pans halted for footsteps to take their place.

"MISS, PLEASE CALM YOURSELF! THE GREAT PAPYRUS HAS FOUND YOU IN YOUR MOMENT IN NEED! PLEASE DON'T OVEREXERT YOURSELF. I SHALL GET YOU A PLATE OF SOME OF MY EXQUISTE CULINARY MASTERPEICE TO MAKE YOU FEEL BETTER. STAY THERE PLEASE!"

I looked up to the tall skeleton, Papyrus, helping me back onto the couch. When I say tall, I meant it. He was probably a bit taller than Toriel! I sat on the couch, waiting for my strength to return. I wanted to leave as soon as I can. I don't know where I am or how much time had passed while I was unconscious.

I was attempting to stand up when Papyrus came back from the kitchen with a plate of pasta. With a grimace, I sat back down as he approached. He handed me the plate and a fork and sat down beside me, filled with excited nervous energy. Glancing at him with apprehension, I twirled my fork in the pasta. It would be rude to refuse, but I don't know if I can trust this skeleton. With Marshmallow, I at least have some sort of deal with him to trust him a smidge. This skeleton is an unknown. I wouldn't know how he was going to react to a skeleton turning human. From what I could gather from Marshmallow and Toriel, humans are hunted down here for their SOULs.

I carefully placed my bite in my teeth, wincing at the scraping sound of bone and metal. I was used to having lips. I froze at the indescribable taste. If I had a tongue, it probably just dissolved into dust, maybe my stomach too. Glancing at the _expecting_ grin of the soon to be fellow skeleton, I just hoped that not having a tongue or stomach will allow me the release of the pain that'll come later on some time. That and I could tell this dish won't help me in my decomposition reversion.

Immensely relieved that I don't have taste buds anymore, I continued to eat the humanly inedible plate of pasta. Some strange sensation started to creep over my exposed bones. It felt like having flesh and skin again, but as I discreetly glanced at my phalanges, that wasn't the case visibly. I also noticed, out of the corner of my eye socket, my clothing was starting to fill out like when I had flesh. I jumped, startled, when my so-far-silent companion started to bellow a particular laugh.

"NYEHEHEHEHEHEHEH! I SEE YOU ENJOYED MY CULINARY MASTERPIECE!"

I smiled nervously. 'Enjoyed' would not be a word I would use, but I am satisfied in hunger. This was getting incredibly awkward on my part. I don't even know how I am smiling without any facial muscles!

"ALTHOUGH, I MUST SAY, I HAVE NOT EVER SEEN ANOTHER SKELETON BEFORE NOW, OTHER THAN MY BROTHER OF COURSE."

I froze for a moment. The only other skeleton I know is Marshmallow. Quite honestly, I forgot his real name already. I inspected Papyrus features. Other than being skeletons, I can't see any familiar traits they could share. He straightened out his spine and puffed out his chest proudly. He seemed to close his eye sockets with a big grin. I also noticed that Papyrus's sharp cheekbones were turning hazy orange color. I was staring. I looked away. This just got uncomfortable.

"Sorry about that, I have only met one other skeleton. I have, uh, forgotten his name, but I call him Marshmallow. I was just trying to see any sharing features you may have with him."

Papyrus blinked and grinned even more. The haze lessening but still there, he stood and struck a pose to pronounce his body more. His red scarf flapping in none existent wind, he laughed again. I looked back at my used plate. My cheek bones were tingling like crazy. This is so embarrassing. I raised a hand to cover my face as best as I could. Well, I might as well ask some basic questions. Hopefully, I'll stop being embarrassed for the both of us.

"Well, um, may I ask you where I am?"

"NYEHEHEHE! OF COURSE YOU CAN MISS, UH, OH PLEASE FORGIVE ME! I HAVE NOT ASKED FOR YOUR NAME! WHAT IS YOUR NAME MISS?"

"Kia, my name is Kia. Where am I, again?"

"IT IS A PLEASURE TO MEET YOU KIA. YOU ARE CURRENTLY IN MY HOUSE."

No duh.

"I'm sorry. I meant as to which town I am in, currently."

"OH, WELL, YOU ARE IN SNOWDIN."

I'm sure Marshmallow said that Frisk was almost this town when I emotionally blew up. Alright, I need to go. Hopefully, I can find Frisk here and protect them. I shifted and got up onto my feet. While the meal wasn't exactly good, it still gives me strength. Hm, need to find my bag and eat Toriel's pie. I should look human enough for Frisk to recognize me. Turning to Papyrus, I nodded with a smile.

"Thank you for the meal, but I need to go. Do you happen to know where my bag is?"

"OH, WHY THANK YOU! OF COURSE IT'S NOT EVERY DAY YOU GET TO EAT MY FAMOUS SPAGETTI. HM, I DID SEE SANS WITH A BAG EARILIER. WAIT HERE MISS KIA AND I SHALL GET IT FOR YOU! NYEHEHEHEHEHEHE!"

I was left standing as Papyrus somehow gallops through the house looking for my bag. I sighed and awkwardly shifted my weight. Sans, that was Marshmallow's name. I don't know how to feel waking up in his room: terrified or grateful. Terrified that I am in _his_ room for some reason, grateful am I to be out of the cold. I started when I heard his louder than I-suppose-was his normal voice.

"OH MY GOODNESS! I HAD NOT NOTICED, BUT SANS' ROOM IS CLEAN! HAPPY DAY INDEED!"

Happy day? He suddenly sees a female zombie/skeleton stumbling and fainting outside of his brother's _locked bedroom_ and feeds said zombie/skeleton terrible food thinking that it was the best in the world. I need to get out of here. That and I am, absolutely, sure my bag is _not_ in Marshmallow's room. I cleaned it after all. I fiddled with the end of my shirt as I waited as politely as allowed. When Papyrus finally found my bag and came over to give it to me, I held it securely as I said a quick polite goodbye. I was about to leave when I was stopped by Papyrus again.

"COME BY AGAIN KIA, IT WAS A PLEASURE HAVING YOU HERE DESPITE THE CERCUMSTANCES OF OUR MEETING. I DON'T KNOW WHERE MY BROTHER LOST HIS MANNERS, AND I DO APOLOGISE FOR THAT. MAYBE NEXT TIME WE MEET, WE CAN BE FRIENDS!"

I had my hand on the door knob when he spoke. My shoulders slumped in defeat. He really was trying to be friendly. I am such a hypocrite. I can't judge anyone for other's reasons or mistakes. Releasing the door knob, I placed my bag on properly. I turned to Papyrus with a more genuine smile.

"Maybe, and thank you for hosting my unexpected visit, I really appreciate it."

I waved goodbye to the ecstatic skeleton before opening the door and leaving. I stepped out into the snow and had a moment to myself. Watching fresh snowfall, I didn't feel the cold anymore. I feel so empty. I trudged to the right and into town to see if I can find Frisk. I looked through a greasy bar, a freezing river bank, and the entrance of Snowdin. I was getting strange looks was I went through town. It wasn't until a small kid dinosaur with no arms told me that there were only two skeletons in the whole of Underground, and they lived in this very town.

Frisk wasn't here.

I was exiting a small shop owned by a rabbit woman when I saw the star. I must have been too focused on talking to the residents to notice it. I did get some decent information from the nice woman. She was surprised that I didn't know anything about 'our' history. I let her assumed that I was delinquent during my school days and had turned my life around for the better. Not that it mattered anyways down here.

I approached the star and stared at it. I clenched my jaw. If Frisk is not here, then I will continue on from here. I am getting closer to them. I can feel it. I just need to keep going. I grasped the star, feeling something getting crushed in my phalanges before whatever it was disappeared in my hand.

Keep going. Stay on track. Stay DETERMINED.


	10. Misunderstandings

Chapter 10: Misunderstandings

"any reason why the snow is getting such a _chilly_ glare?"

I jumped, startled at Marshmallow's voice besides me. I narrowed my eyes at him before I walked past him.

"that was _cold_."

Oh my dear lord, another pun and I'm done! Heh, that rhymed. I blinked at the white haze before me. Shaking my head, I wobbled in place. What is wrong with me?

"woah there, are you alright?"

I looked towards Marshmallow. I blinked hard at the mixed colors. I stumbled. I felt warm hands supporting my arms. So warm. I yawned widely behind my hand. My eyes hurt.

"when was the last time you have slept?"

There are no clocks down here! The sky was blocked off from view for obvious reasons. I can't tell ifs only been a couple of hours or _days_ since I fell down here.

"Willingly, I dunno.."

I did not believe fainting is the same as sleeping.

"... iz hard to tell, time here"

"well, you need a nap. I _blizzard_ to say you are exhausted."

Suddenly more awake, I glared at him. His arm moved over and under my shoulders. He was warm. A comfortable warm, how is that possible?

"And where do you plan on taking me to sleep. I don't exactly have money to stay at an inn."

The Inn here was expensive. Eighty gold a night, that is way~ over what I have in my bag. I felt Marshmallow still at my sudden alertness. I straightened out of his hold. I don't like how close he was to me. I don't like how comfortably warm he is. He may be the only one I trust a smidgen right now, but I still don't trust him that much.

I watched him stuff his hands into his jacket pockets. He seems to mull over something since he continued to stare at me. He better decide soon. My vision is blurring again. My eye lids (?) feel like heavy weights. Marshmallow shifted to look away. I fought another yawn. How am I still breathing? I don't have a throat anymore!

"well, I guess you can take the couch."

I scowled and continued to walk. It was probably the best I'm going to get in a long while. I might as well see Papyrus since I think he is still at home. I looked over my shoulder at the agitated skeleton. I looked back at the snowy ground.

"Thank you"

I heard him hum as I stopped outside of his front door. My cheek bones are tingling again. Gosh dang it! Enough of this nonsense! I scowled out at the snow. I followed Marshmallow into the familiar living room. I went and flopped onto the couch immediately. I flipped up my hood to both get dimmer light to sleep and to hide my face. Curling up into something of a more comfortable position, I still felt exposed. I heard Marshmallow laugh. Grrrrrr - huh?

A blanket tumbled onto my form. I opened my eyes reluctantly to stare at Marshmallow questioningly. I did feel more comfortable. I stretched out my legs fully to fill out the couch. I slipped out of reality soon after.

**Xxxxx**

I think I am semi-conscious right now. I wasn't exactly dreaming, but I wasn't really sleeping either. I looked around in boredom at the dark room. There were two words floating in front of me: RESET and CONTINUE. I never really thought that my mind would conjure up something like this. I ignored the floating buttons and wondered the area. There doesn't seem to be anything here but darkness and those two words.

Hold on, I think I can see some color over there. It looked white.

A sudden feeling of wrongness overcame my conscious. Something isn't right. I need to wake up. Suddenly, those two words floated before me. Giving them a wary eye, I stretched a hand towards CONTINUE. I woke with a gasp on a lumpy green couch. I leaped for my feet and dashed for the door. Wrenching it open, I dashed through the snow. Using instincts alone, I charged my way out of Snowdin and into a warmer and moist environment.

I ran into Papyrus.

Like, I couldn't stop running and skidded on ice and slush while trying to change direction and collided with him. I guess he was surprised as I was since he had taken a step back as soon as I hit him in an accidental tackle. We both fell over. I groaned in pain. I had a hand on the slush and the other on my face. I looked up to see if he was alright. He didn't move from the ground. He just laid there in a stunned manner. I stood up on shaky knees.

My feeling of wrongness disappeared. I looked on ahead. It looks like I won't be able to rest. I looked back at the taller skeleton. I waved a hand in front of his eye sockets. Is he okay? I jumped when he somehow scooped me up and squeezed me into a huge hug. I gasped at his strength as my feet dangled above the ground.

"OH! MISS KIA! I DID NOT KNOW YOU HAD SUCH FEELINGS!"

What?

"I CAN UNDERSTAND HOW YOU CAN BE SO ENRAPTURED BY MY GREATNESS THAT YOU WOULD RUSH TO MY EMBRACE AFTER I SURVIVED SUCH AN INTENSE BATTLE!"

What is he talking about? That was an accident. What battle?

"I CAN SEE IT CLEARLY NOW. YOU WERE SO SHY WHEN WE FIRST MET, SO I COULDN'T UNDERSTAND. BUT, I CAN SEE THAT MY BATTLE WITH THE HUMAN HAS SCARED YOU ENOUGH TO EMBRACE AND CONFESS YOUR SECRET FEELINGS FOR ME! NYEHEHEHEHEHEHE!"

WHAT?!

"Whoa, whoa, whoa slow down Papyrus. I don't think you should be jumping to conclusions here just because of an accident! And, what are you talking about: a battle with a human?"

I was able to touch the ground and stare incredulously at the taller skeleton. I wasn't able to step back from him since his gloved hands had taken my shoulders hostage to stare into my eye lights. I can't believe this.

"HM, YOU ARE RIGHT MISS KIA! I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, SHALL GO ON A DATE WITH YOU FOR WE MUST TEST THIS PATH DESTINY HAS SET US UPON! DO NOT WORRY MISS KIA FOR I AM A DATING MASTER AND HAVE EXPERIENCE! NYHEHEHEHEHE!"

Oh my dear lord, he was serious about that. He still hasn't answered my question about the 'human!' Did he fight Frisk? If he so much as bruised my child I will make sure he regrets it! First, I need to get rid of the dating idea he has in his head.

"Alright, hold it right there mister. Number one: I don't know what you are talking about in terms of feelings; I just met you maybe an hour or two ago! Number two: I do NOT have time for a date! Number three: I have a task I need to complete. Number four: Tell me where the 'human' you battled went. I need to find them."

I brushed off his hands and pointed counting fingers at the oblivious skeleton. Being in his presence is frustrating me even more than usual. I watched as he just smiled at me and pose.

"MISS KIA, I CAN UNDERSTAND THAT YOU ARE HAVING DIFFICULTY DESCRIBING THE FEELING YOU HOLD TO YOURSELF. I CAN IMAGINE THEY ARE VERY COMPLEX SINCE WE HAVE OFFICIALY MET JUST HOURS AGO BUT WORRY NOT! I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, WILL HELP YOU THROUGH THESE DIFFICULT TIMES. WE CAN ALWYS RESCHEDULE OUR DATE ANOTHER TIME."

I am just about to help my decomposing body by ripping my hair out! I clenched my jaw and my fists at my sides. Alright calm down, I am sure he doesn't mean it. Deep breathe, in and out, see calming down already. He is, uh, he is just like a, like one big kid! Come on Kia, well up what patience you have! I gave a strained smile as Papyrus struck a thinking pose.

"MISS KIA, I HONESTLY DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHY YOU WOULD WANT TO FIND THE HUMAN. *GASP* PERHAPS, YOU WANT TO BE THEIR FRIEND! THE GREAT PAPYRUS UNDERSTANDS FULLY NOW AND WILL SUPPORT YOU ALL THE WAY! THEY ARE QUITE THE WONDERFUL FRIEND MATERIAL. LIKE, I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, AM THE GREATEST FRIENDSHIP MATIERAL! NYEHEHEHEHE!"

"Yeah, something like that, but you see the human is actually a part of my family, and we got separated during an attack. I'm trying to look for them right now. Please help me find them."

"OH, WELL WHY DIDN'T YOU SAY SO. I'LL JUST GIVE THEM A CALL!"

My mind blanked. I watched as Papyrus pulled out a phone from somewhere. He began to type in numbers and waited.

"HELLO! THIS IS THE GREAT PAPYRUS! OH, MY APOLOGIES, I WAS CALLING FOR SOMEONE ELSE. GOODBYE!"

It was the wrong number.

"ALRIGHT, LET ME TRY AGAIN! I'M SURE I CAN GET THE CORRECT NUMBER!"

This happened for several more times before, my shivering and impatience won out.

"Alright, I'm going on ahead. I'll see you around Papyrus."

I left the Skeleton in the snow as I trudged towards the warmer climate. Once I passed the fog, I noticed the humongous blocks of ice floating in the river next to me. Shaking my head, I moved on. I came to an area with two creatures; glowing blue flower, a star, and an empty stall with ... snow still on its roof. How does that work? Oh well. I grasped the star. The crunch sound it made was new.

I'm on my way. Please, stay determined.


	11. She's Here

Chapter 11: She's Here!

Frisk fiddled with the ribbon they had tied in their hair. It was pretty and faded. It seems it could crumble at any moment, but it helped keep their locks out of their face when they dodge in their 'fights.' They couldn't really call them fights really. The monsters always attacked them. Chara always encouraged them to fight back, but they always dodge and ACTed until they could leave the battle peacefully, like how their mom would have wanted them to do. How _they_ liked to do it.

Frisk could feel the familiar burn in their eyes when they thought of this. They missed mom and her great big warm hugs and smiles. They miss how nice her voice sounded, reassuring and soothing. How safe they felt around her. They still love her. They miss her. Frisk sighed.

They don't even know why they were being attacked by the monsters. Why did almost every monster want to kill them? Did they do something really bad to cause this? Mom always told them they were a wonderful and good child; that they don't have to listen to others, to be themselves. Well, they were going to make up for whatever they did and be as kind as they could.

They reached the first save point they could see in entering Waterfall. They giggled as they touched the star. The names of all these places are so silly! They walked around the little area to talk with the fellow children. Apparently, it is a tradition to wear a striped shirt if you are a child down here. Frisk smiled at their sweater. They almost went on ahead to the next area of Waterfall when they saw Sans.

They ran up to the punny skeleton with a big smile. They giggled at their own terrible joke. Sans is funny with his terrible puns. He was the only Monster so far to not try and hurt them. Plus, he was really nice and helpful. He even understands sign language! He's a really cool guy, but not as cool as The Great Papyrus! They grinned wider at the thought of the goofy skeleton. They waved at the stout skeleton to gain his attention.

"oh, hey kiddo, how've you been?"

" _I'm good. How are you?"_

"kind of hungry, wanna head over to grillby's for some grub?"

They stared at the chillax skeleton in confusion.

" _Is it time for your break?"_

He shrugged. Frisk narrowed their eyes. Mom had always stressed the importance of keeping a job or jobs.

"well, with two jobs, i can have twice as many legally required breaks."

Frisk giggled and nodded in acceptance. They were really hungry anyways. They have been eating so many sweets lately that they really miss having a decent meal. Even when eating those treats, it was mostly to help recover their HP. Sans' grin seems to have gotten wider too. He got around his station and headed towards the next area deeper into Waterfall. Frisk hesitated a moment in confusion. They remember Grillby's being in Snowdin Town, in the other direction. Sans must have noticed their confusion. He winked in reassurance. Frisk smiled back.

"hey, don't worry kid, I know a short cut. come on."

Frisk followed him. In a time span of a blink, they were in Grillby's foyer. Gazing around in wonder and confusion, they wondered how they got here. Did Sans do something? Can he ... teleport? That would be AMAZING! Not bothering to question it, Frisk walked eagerly next to the adult skeleton. They waved at Grillby in greetings. They climbed onto a stool. They froze when a very loud far noise resounded throughout the room. Snickers sounded around the room. They flushed a bright red. They quickly removed the whoopee cushion from their spot to fling it at their suspect, giggling all the way. Sans scrunched up his shoulders against the wimpy projectile, laughing deeply at them.

"whoops, gotta watch where you sit, sometimes weirdos put whoopee cushions on the seats."

Frisk couldn't laugh any louder without hurting themselves. He didn't even deny it! Werido! Calming down, they glanced at the skeleton to see him staring at them with his eye lights. It was like they reminded him of something or someone. Nah.

"well anyways, let's order, whaddya want...?"

Frisk hum and hawed in dramatics over the two choices they were given. Fries sounded really good, but a burger sounded even better!

" _A burger please!"_

"Hey, that sounds pretty good! Grillby, we'll have a double order of burg!"

Frisk relaxed into their seat and ideally played with their ribbon. Hearing bone scrapes, they turn to see Sans rubbing his skull with his skele-hand. They tilted their head in question. Sans seems conflicted and maybe confused. The question on their opinion of Papyrus wasn't what they thought he would ask, but they answered honestly anyways. They learned from mom that honesty was always good but should be done politely. Then again, she should take her own advice really. She can be so blunt sometimes.

Frisk smiled when their order came out fresh. They thanked Grillby and politely refused the ketchup. They watched as Sans somehow drank the tomato concoction. They weren't really grossed out about his drink choice. They had seen their mom swallow a shot of ketchup before on a dare one of their friends made, without hearing the compensation. Heck, they even like weird stuff too, like dipping cafeteria chicken tenders in chocolate pudding. They like to think that everyone had a weird eating quirk.

Frisk tucked into their burger, the glorious meal it was, as they listened to Sans admire his little brother. They wondered if they could ever be an older sibling. I would be nice to have a younger sibling. They are going to need to ask their mom when they get out of the Underground and find her.

"oh yeah, i wanted to ask you something."

Frisk looked up from their food to give Sans their complete attention. Suddenly, they felt enclosed. They could only see Sans. Was what he was going to say important? Alright, they were determined to help Sans!

"have you ever heard of a talking flower?"

Frisk raised an eyebrow. They thought about it. The first thing to come to mind as the echo flower they fiddled with before greeting Sans. Those were fun. The second was the mean yellow flower they first met. Did Sans know more about the plant? They nodded.

"so you know all about it, the echo flower."

Oh

" _Not really, sorry Sans"_

"it's okay kid. they're all over the marsh. Say something to them, and they'll repeat it over and overâ€¦"

Frisk furrowed their brow. Where was he going with this?

" _What about them?"_

They listened carefully to Sans. They frowned stiffened in dread that the mean plant monster has been talking to Papyrus. They nodded in agreement to keep an eye out for the flower. They ate the rest of their burger in silence.

"hey kid"

They looked up from staring at the counter. Sans' burger lay on its plate, untouched. They eyed it for a moment, wondering if Sans would let them have it if they asked. Without a word, Sans slid his plate over. They gave a smile and a thank you. They took a bite before signing to Sans.

" _You wanted something?"_

Why was he staring at them? Frisk doesn't believe that Sans would like like them. They were pretty sure he doesn't have the same thoughts.

"yeah, a newcomer in snowdin came looking for you. said that you were their child. have in mind anyone that would come looking for ya?"

Frisk thought back to Toriel, but she wouldn't come of The Ruins. Toriel was nice. She can make a great pie, but she wasn't their mother. Their mother was human. Their mother was Kia. Their mother might be down here with them! They gasped at the possibility. It could be defiantly be a possibility.

" _Yeah! My mom! Her name is Kia. Do you know where she could be right now?"_

Sans sighed and shrugged. He took another sip from his condiment, finishing it off. He gave them a wink.

"can't say that i do, but they are very _determined_ in finding ya. You should be able to see them soon, but i gotta warn ya kid. the condition she is in, isn't the greatest."

They stared at him in confusion. What he mean? Did, did something happen to her? No, no, they need to find her! She has to be alright! They got off of their seat faster than Sans could and speed walked to the exit. They waved back at Sans along with their thanks and goodbyes. They were out the door and dashing through the snow to find their mom. Left, right, up, and down, she wasn't in the wintery town. Waterfall then!

They skidded to a halt as they came back to the area with the station Sans was in before they went to Grillby's. They took a moment to catch their breath. Taking a deep breath, they straightened and looked around. There, standing in front of an echo flower and talking to a fish monster, was a familiar figure. Long curling dark blonde hair falling to the waist, the same clothes they last saw her in, the same stature, there was their mom. Tears burned their eyes. It felt like it had been an eternity since they last seen her.

"Mom," they whispered. They watched and waited with baited breathe to see her turn around. The figure stiffened before trembling. They furrowed their eyebrows. Their mom doesn't tremble. The figure's arms wrapped themselves around their middle before cautiously turning around. They gasped when they saw her turn towards them slowly. There standing was their mom but at the same time, not.

There standing with their mom's clothes, hair, and height, was a skeleton with red eye lights and watering eye sockets.


	12. Reactions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's a bit of a short chapter. I am not good at writing emotional scenes. Hope this is satisfactory tho. Leave a review so I can know your thoughts so far!

Chapter 12: Reactions

They stared at each other. Neither making a move in fear that something would change, they waited. The Lady Skeleton clenched their jaw in a familiar way. The glowing red tears finally spilling. She slowly lowered herself to her knees, never breaking their eye contact. The fish monster next to her glanced between them in awkward concern. Eventually, they were left alone as the monster inched away. The Lady Skeleton's gaze was warm, relieved and hesitant. A fear was evident in her posture as they gazed at each other. She smiled at them anyways, somehow conveying the love they knew from before.

"Hello, it's been awhile, hasn't it? I'm so glad to see you."

The Lady Skeleton even _sounded_ like their mom. They trembled. How could this have happened? Tears gathered in their eyes. Did, did the monsters do this? Why?

" _Maybe, maybe not, but look at what happened to her when she came down here. Don't you want to repay whoever did this in kind? Make them hurt as much as she is suffering? All you have to do is FIGHT."_

Frisk glanced at Chara. They thinned their lips. They didn't know anymore, but they need proof that this skeleton is-wasâ€¦ their mom. They gazed at the Lady Skeleton tensely waiting. What was she waiting for? Was she waiting for them? They raised their hands. The Lady Skeleton's eye lights immediately glanced down and waited. They sucked in a breath. They hand signed.

" _What is your name?"_

Her smile faltered. She turned sad, but understanding. A few more tears leaked down her face. She smiled again. She lifted a small, dainty skeletal hand to rest it on her chest. Her teeth and high cheek bones moved to show a familiar tired smirk. Her face flushed in emotion as a red haze of magic as she seemed to talk around a lump in her 'throat.'

"My name, kkkhm, my name is Kia, and uh, Knock Knock?"

Her voice cracked at the end. Their throat was burning from repressing sobs.

" _Who's there?"_

"Orange"

Their hands were shaking as they desperately hoped.

" _Orange who?"_

"Orange you glad to see me?"

Frisk bolted into the open arms of their _Mom_. She didn't even topple over from their impact. They shook in relief. Mom was as strong as always. They sobbed into her shirt as they were engulfed in her big warm hug. _Safety._ They could feel through her shirt, her ribs vibrating from her relieving sobs echoing in their ears. She missed them too! Frisk smiled.

"I am so glad you are alright," she whispered brokenly. Frisk buried their face into her shoulder, taking in their mom's familiar scent mixed with dust. Tears leaked more. Chara stood in swollen silence as they watched the reunited pair hold each in relief and happiness.

They held onto each other tighter until their tears were spent. When they pulled back, they reached their hands towards her face. Their mom leaned into their touch and closed their eye sockets with a small smile. Frisk inspected her new boney features. Surprisingly, her face was still malleable and squishy was it once was. They grinned as they stretched their mom's face into a wide smile, like Sans!

"Ack! Hey! Noh fai-ah!"

They let go to ward off their mom's seeking phalanges. Giggles spilled out when the tickle attack began. They winced when one of her fingers dug too deep. She stopped immediately. She hugged them once more apologizing. Frisk leaned against her chest. It took them a moment, but they realized they could still hear her heart beat. It was very faint though. They frowned lightly. Tugging on her shirt, Frisk signed.

" _What happened to you? Why are you a skeleton?"_

They watched as their mom tense. Her face was thoughtful, sad and eventually her shoulders drooped. She clenched her jaw.

"I-It's hard to explain. This is a new development for me, and I can only guess the 'why' at the moment. I'm sorry. I do know that if I eat something I can, kind of, look human again. Let's see what I've got."

Reluctantly, they parted from their mom to watch her rummage through the side bag they hadn't noticed. She brightened when she pulled out a container with pie slice in it. Once the lid was open, Frisk instantly recognized the cinnamon butterscotch pie. They grinned. Mom knew Toriel! But, if almost all the monsters are hunting them because _they_ are _human_ , then they would attack their mom too! They can't have that! They need to protect their mom! They reached out to place a hand on their mom's phalanges.

She paused to give them her complete attention. They smiled sadly. They don't want to see her in pain. They lifted their hands to sign.

" _I don't mind you being a skeleton! Let's save the pie for later in case we need it, okay?"_

Their mom blinked. She smiled and resealed the container. She placed it back into her bag before reaching up to grab the back of her neck vertebrae sheepishly.

"Alright, if you think so, quite honestly that was the last bit of food I had."

**xxxxxxxxx**

I heard soft laughter. I smiled at Frisk. I am so glad that they are all right. They don't look injured or sad. It is also a huge relief that they didn't reject me when I'm a zombie/skeleton. They are so wonderful.

I glanced at the bell on my wrist. Would they want this back? I took off the bell.

"Frisk, would you like to have this back?"

They glanced at the bell in my hand as it chimed. They stilled. I frowned. I can only guess how they lost it, but if they don't want it, it's okay. I pulled back my hand after a moment. They reached for it and placed a hand on my mine. I smiled and tied it to their wrist.

I stood. It won't do to stay in one spot. WE need to move. I paused. I don't know where to go. Sure, I need to get to the other end of the cavern to reach the end, but I don't have a map. I heard a chime. I smiled and looked down.

" _Mom! You have to come meet my friends!"_

I blinked. Then I smirked. Why not, we have time. I just hope that they are good friends. I clasped hands with Frisk for them to lead the way, and also to reassure the both of us that we are here, together.


	13. A Different Side

Chapter 13: A Different Side

'welp, she's gone. she slept not even a half hour before she darted off into the snow. something must have chilled her down to her bones to go skating off.'

Sans slouched into to the warm spot on the couch with a couple of old text books under his arm. Alphys did have a couple more articles in ancient dialect scripted on crumbling scrolls, but they were too fragile to manage in a fast paced study. Sans huffed in frustration. He had already read through the text books twice. He couldn't find anything even remotely related to the phenomenon of that human-turning-lady-skeleton. The closest thing he _could_ find was a multiple colored type SOULs and how Monster SOULs crack and scar. Nothing really matching the situation of Kia's SOUL, it was vexing.

Sans contemplated whether to get up and return the text books or not. He glanced at the _heavy_ books. He soaked in the comfort of his couch. Nah, he can do it later. Sans stuffed the text books into the couch cushions to avoid detection from his brother.

Just in time too.

The front door flung open to reveal an ecstatic skeleton of a taller nature. The next who came in was the paradox and his frustration of understanding. He noted that she stayed a skeleton instead of eating something to become more human. Then lastly, the kid showed up bouncing in place with a hand held equally tightly by their momma skeleton. Sans grinned casually. It won't do to look too suspicious. He closed his eyes, enjoying to sounds of his brother's naturally loud movements.

"AH, I SEE MY BROTHER IS NAPPING, AGAIN! HE IS SO LAZY. PLEASE EXCUSE HIM. YOU CAN GO AHEAD AND EXPLORE WHILE I SHALL MAKE US SOME CELEBRATORY FREINDSHIP SPAGGETTI!"

Sans could feel the plop from the kid and the tense dip from Kia. Interesting. He heard a chime, some movement. He peek open one of his eyes to see the pair hand signing. He raised a brow bone. That was polite. He moved deliberately and yawned while scratching his 'butt.' He saw Kia jump a bit while the kid just waved their hands in a form of greeting. Kia's high cheekbones were a bright hazy red. Amusing

"hey kid, how's it goin'?"

" _I'm doing good! How are you? Oh! Sans this is my mom. Mom, this is Sans."_

He had to hold in snickers as their mom gave a small wave. She looked so uncomfortable. This is something new. She was never this open before, expressional. She would usually have this set scowl or darken blank face outside of the small changes in thought and actions.

"hey-ah"

"Hey, uh, sorry for leaving the way I did, it was rude of me."

He shrugged. He wasn't too bothered by it, so he didn't really care. If anything, what he did care about is her SOUL anomaly and Frisk's apparent memory loss. It seemed almost exactly how they did on the first time around they came. Even Chara seemed to have no memories of before since they haven't fouled up the air around the kid yet.

His attention was caught by Frisk when they chimed their new bell. He briefly wondered if that bell was originally theirs. He blinked. Kia disappeared. He stiffened subtly as he watched the kid's hands move.

" _Sans, is everything alright? Mom seems more tense than usual. Did, did something happen?"_

Flashbacks of when he BATTLEd Kia and their agreement flashed through his mind.

"well kid, i can only guess that she is embarrassed by what happened earlier."

They furrowed their eyebrows. Please don't ask further.

" _What do you mean? I get that you two already know each other, but mom is really cautious about what she does. She wouldn't be embarrassed for nothing."_

Food for thought right there, he shifted a bit to have a better view of Frisk.

"well you see, your mom was wandering the town lookin' for ya, and by the time i got to her, she was stumbling around _dead tired_. she didn't have enough money for the local inn, so bein' as generous as i am, i lent her our couch to catch a few z's. about half hour later-"

"I dashed out of the house without an apology or a word of leave. It was rude of me, like talking about something like that behind the same person's back is rude."

Jeez, she needs to loosen up. She stood stiffly in his living room holding a glass of water with both of her hands in a careful hold, cupping it mostly. It wasn't overly full, but she sat down carefully anyways. She took a careful sip. She _really_ needs to loosen up.

A chime sounded as Frisk seemed to remember something. Sans watched the kid sign to their mom, the intended recipient of their question. Kia hummed into her cup as she watched them over the rim of her glass.

" _Mom!_ _I just remembered something! Can I be an older sibling?"_

Sans roared in laughter as Kia immediately did a spit take and started to choke, her entire _skull_ was overcome by a hazy of red magic. Kia was so gonna kill him later. Frisk had started to panic when their mom started to choke. The water Kia had drunk had passed through her magical system of digestion to soak through her shirt in spots where her esophagus should be: the collar of her shirt was drenched as spots of moisture trailed down their shirt.

Papyrus had somehow heard the commotion in the living room and started to freak out along with Frisk at seeing the dilemma. Kia started to calm down, and between coughs they try to reassure her child and Papyrus that she was alright. After a few coughs and a deep breath, she straightened to address the less panicked duo. Sans' laughter had pedaled off to a chuckle before stopping. This kid will be the death of him if their mom don't get to him first!

"I'm alright. I'm sorry for the mess. Please, I can clean up. I'll be fine. I-I just need to calm down."

"NYE, IF YOU INSIST, BUT I MUST ASK WHAT HAD SURPRISED YOU SO MUCH YOU WOULD CHOKE AND TURN RED?"

Sans could help the snickers as Kia flushed again. She was surprisingly sensitive about this. He caught the heated shut-up side glare she gave him, but he just shrugged lazily. The kid didn't seem too comfortable now either. They fidgeted worriedly. Kia hesitated before speaking.

"Well, Frisk had asked me a question I didn't expect. It wasn't a bad question! It just took me by, _immense_ , surprise. Now, Frisk, I must ask what brought up you wanting a sibling."

 _Frisk_ relaxed and smiled at the skeletons. Hm, the kid never revealed their true name before battling the weed. Things are changing faster than Sans originally thought, but for now, he is going to focus on the kid's answer. The question had really cracked him up. What _could_ have brought up that question?

" _Well, before we were able to see each other earlier, I went to Grillby's with Sans for some food. We talked, and he had so many good things to say about Papyrus, his little brother, so I thought I could ask you if I could be an older sibling too when I saw you next. I want to be just like Sans and be a proud sibling!"_

Before Sans could really register the genuine compliment, he was scooped up by Paps in a twirling hug. Getting dizzy from the onslaught of movement and shouted gratitude from his little brother, Sans felt, dare he say it, a little happy. After being plopped back onto the couch, Sans was able to finally see Kia's darkened eye sockets and shadowed features. She is not at all happy with him right now.

Sans was internally grateful that his brother had taken the spotlight. It felt like she was dissecting his SOUL to see if he did anything wrong to her child. Which, he didn't! Kind of ... not in this run ... anyways...

"WELL, LITTLE HUMAN, I AM SURE YOU WOULD BE A WONDERFUL OLDER SIBLING! IF ANYTHING, I COULD HELP MISS KIA IN GETTING YOU A YOUNGER SIBLING! WE WOULD JUST NEED TO-"

Sans was _not_ grateful anymore.

Kia didn't seem to like the way this conversation is going either. Her blush returned at full force as she stood.

"Okay, that is enough of that. Frisk, it will depend on Mommy to give you a younger sibling so be patient, okay?  Now, I think there is something burning in the kitchen. We should probably check that out before the house burns down."

With that, the sibling question was forgotten and dropped in favor of saving the stove from the burning terror of dry noodle kindling. Papyrus cried for his ruined 'master piece.' Kia ended up cooking something since Frisk was too young and short; Sans is just too lazy to do anything (a.k.a trying to steal away the text books he hid in the couch cushions); Papyrus tried to help her out but was rejected once she saw the inedible glitter he was trying to dump in her Afredo sauce.

It wasn't anything fancy, but Sans had to admit that she can cook well. She didn't eat anything, saying she was still full from Papyrus' spaghetti. A lie as ever he saw one. Sans bet that she is scared that if she turns human in front of his bro, something bad is going to happen. Not that it really would, Sans considered the possibilities. Okay, maybe there would be. Anyways, he did see her sneak a portion of her pasta into her bag while cleaning up the plates and pots. She had wandered over to the couch now to mingle with Frisk and his brother.

Now that he thought about it, Sans observed the female skeleton a bit more closely. She is chatting with Frisk and Papyrus. She laughed at Papyrus's antics and Frisks dramatics. He blinked. She looked fine. She didn't have any shadows under her eye sockets anymore. Her bones were a healthy shade, and her red eye lights were a softer glow, more cheer than before. She looked happy, less haunted ... less strained of life.

It was late. The TV was softly buzzing as the show ended hours ago. Papyrus and Sans were in their respective rooms after the younger skeleton went to bed early. Kia and Frisk were huddled on the couch sleeping under a borrowed blanket when Sans came down stairs to check on them. He couldn't exactly sleep with _two_ threats in his home so close to his sleeping brother. While he did have some kind of deal with Kia, half of it was already fulfilled when the kid found her. He can't exactly trust her as much as he did before.

Sans stood in front of the couch. On the old beat up green couch were two lumps huddled under a blanket, the larger one shifted. The blanket slid down to show one skeletal face of a female and a fleshy face of the kid, both were peacefully sleeping. Sans stared warily at the Lady Skeleton. He was just going to get a quick peek at her SOUL and her descriptions then he'll decide from there.

As his left eye flared with his magic, Kia's eye sockets flashed open. Sans stumbled back in fear of her gaze. She had tightened her grip on Frisk. Her eye lights had deepened into a sinister garnet glow of hollow circles with vertical slit pupils of voids. Her magic traveled from her crackling eyes to her maw and phalanges, sharping them to razor points. Her body seemed to thicken and enlarge to a point she was about to fall off the couch. She became as tall as Papyrus.

Sans sweated over the rapid change from docile human/skeleton to menacing skeleton MONSTER. Her glare seemed to pierce through his very SOUL as phantom pain snaked its way into his ribcage. Sans shivered in trepidation as he heard her speak around the freezing fear of her glare.

" **You best not be here for the reason I think you are Sans; because, if you** _ **are**_ **I will make sure you will** _ **regret**_ **it** _ **immensely**_ **about** **messing with my family."**

Her quiet voice had lowered a few octaves but still retained her feminine monotone voice. Sans noticed her SOUL just out of the corner of his eye socket. Her breaking SOUL flouted above her, its tilt was almost half way complete to being like a monster's SOUL. It dripped an acid green. The green coated the couch in a protective sheen, slowly creeping over Frisk in a cocoon of safety. Kia hummed to regain his full attention as she waited for his answer. The threat hung heavy in the air to a point Sans couldn't process the air to function. Sans was already regretting stirring the _monster_ before him.

The moment was utterly shattered when Frisk shifted in Kia's hold, to snooze a bit better. They sighed in content when the acid green turned a spring shade. They snuggled into Kia's embrace to wiggle under the blanket more.

Suddenly, Kia's magic shut off. Her menacing and feral features and size softened dramatically into the Lady Skeleton he knew so little. She gazed with loving softness in her gaze at her child. She adjusted the blanket to better cover her child. She turned her (normal) solid crimson eye lights towards the shuddering Sans. He sat on the carpet staring at the ground, trying to calm himself down from the immense rush of relief. She clenched her jaw and stared at the back of the couch.

"Go," she whispered.

Sans didn't need to be told twice. He went and teleported back to his room, thinking over what just happened. He collapsed onto his made bed. He ran his phalanges over his sweat stained skull and maw. He closed his eye sockets in exhaustion.

Frisk needs to stay safe if the Underground is going to survive this MONSTER.


	14. Omens

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> jeez that last chapter was a pain to write >.>

Chapter 14: Omens

Old yellow lights flickered overhead an old, worn simple wooden table. The table was over flowing with crisp white papers, an outdated computer, and a stained coffee mug. The chair was a cheap foldable plastic thing you could get from a dollar store. The walls were slimed and stained concrete. The multitude of filing cabinets were just an inch from the wall, new and highly secured locks on the dull metal holding extremely important research. The little unsanitary office was occupied by one person in a faded lab coat. He was reading intensely an old tome.

A rough knock broke the man's concentration, causing him to growl in annoyance. Then sighs and gently closes the tome to place it delicately on the only free space of his desk. Then he slicked back his glossy black hair and straightened his coat. He turned towards the fake wood door with his usual business look.

"Enter"

Slick Hair masked his wince at the creak the door made on the rusted hinges with the common expression he has for his 'henchmen,' cold disappointment. The leader of the trio of patched up wounded was the least bandaged but the most nervous. The meat head shifted most noticeably and avoided Slick Hair's pointed dark gaze. His protection and hired meat heads knew what happens to the people to disappoint the former Head Scientist. They end up the specimens for his 'experiments.'

"Mission report."

The spokesperson of this group jumped at his monotone command. He shifted and straightened.

"DT and the child are dead ... but ... the bodies ... were lost in the mountain."

A screech tore through the air as the former Head Scientist stood in a moment of rage, baring his teeth. The trio backed up in fear. Noticing this, the former Head Scientist stood straighter and fixed his hair to cool down. Rolling his shoulders, he tried again but a little more forcefully.

"Alright, I want a full missions report on what happened. I want all the details from everyone that is still alive."

The trio relaxed slightly but shifted uneasily. The leader nodded, almost bowing to try not to anger the guy in charge.

"Yes Sir!"

"Leave"

"Yes sir"

The former Head Scientist watched as the meat heads shuffle out until the door clicked shut. He waited a bit more before harshly dumping his body back into his chair. The chair broke. With a shout of frustration, he stood and took the pieces of the chair and flung it at the gritty slimy walls. He breathed heavily, his black hair hanging into his face. He sucked in a deep breath through his nose, ignoring the musty smell. He slicked his hair back as he went back to his desk to reopen the old leather tome with a single red heart branded in the middle of the cover.

While he _had_ wanted DT and her child dead, he at least wanted their bodies and SOULS. Find out what he could use her child for after seeing what color they were. He wanted to run more tests with DT.  When he saw her rise from death's door in that arena, he thought she could be useful. As frustrating as it was, it was rare to find a SOUL as determined as hers. He had all the money, the equipment, the good work hands, and test subjects before she came along.

The first few months had been productive and interesting. Then the fear and pain in her eyes died. The hesitation behind those golden blue eyes faded. She became a silent subject. That was when the first crack appeared on her SOUL. In confusion, he studied her inert mind and tried to inject some of his liquefied red DT to keep her going for more testing. Nothing happened. The cracks in her SOUL grew and became further reached after each spar and kill. Frustrated and intrigued, he started to inject her with the other colors' DETERMINATION. Her SOUL soon started to bleed. By the time he used every last drop of Determination he had, she finally did something. She grinned at him full of teeth. Her SOUL held together by the dripping glue of the all the liquid Determination he injected.

 _That_ was when in her right eye, her iris turned _garnet_.

Her _pupil_ became a _vertical slit_.

 _That_ was the day he created the _**monster**_.

 _That_ was also the day she and K4 escaped.

Shaking his head, he returned to the passage he was reading. It was about the mental examination on a child with a determined SOUL. The subject was named _Chara._

_xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_

Kia didn't want to stay at the Font's House any longer, so when it became a reasonable hour, Kia entered the kitchen with Papyrus to cook up something edible. It seems this skeleton does all the cooking, and all he cooks is spaghetti. Thankfully the ingredients for his pasta can be used to make a decent breakfast of omelets and scrambled eggs. From the surprise and joy from the younger skeleton, he doesn't have much expansion in the culinary world.

The guest family of two left soon after eating and washing up. Stepping into the snow, they trudged through the fog to reach the warmer climate of 'Waterfall', Frisk calls it. They pass through their reunion spot and waded through the water. Timing the rocks passing, they made it to the middle of the rushing water. Kia was having a hard time wading through the stream. She was lighter than she has ever had been before and her clothes are being flagged by the current. It was also a bit painful since the water was eroding away what flesh she had left. They held hands to keep each other from floating away.

When they reached the middle of the stream, Frisk tugged a bit too hard, and they fell through the waterfall. They landed on moist dirt. Looking around and dripping, they stood to head in further into the shallow cave. They found two clusters of glowing mushrooms and dusty pink tutu. Frisk had immediately went for the piece of clothing. Kia poked at the glowing fungus. She ooooed when the light dimmed. She poked it again. The light returned. A chime got her attention.

" _Mom, can you tie this please?"_

"Are you sure you want to put this on?"

Kia doesn't really want her child wearing random filthy clothes that were found lying on the ground, but Frisk nods in surety. Kia sighs. She might as well. It could help protect them somehow. But, what is a tutu doing here?

As soon as Kia had touched the old fabric of the straps, she froze. Something flashed before her eye lights. Something bright blue, a metallic gray, and a single glaring yellow eye, water rushing up and swallowing whole-! Kia gasped. She collapsed back onto the ground. Staring at the fallen tutu, Kia took a deep breath before touching it again. Nothing happened.

Frisk gave their mom a confused and concerned. Kia just smirked tiredly and tied off the straps securely.  Frisk held out their faded ribbon o their mom to help tie back her hair.  Kia just turned around for them to mess with her hair until it was tied back properly. Seeing nothing else here, they waded back out to the water. Kia hid her wince as her foot slipped a moment and plunged her chest under the water. She couldn't breathe. Her eye lights widened as she quickly got back onto her feet. One hand clasped to Frisk's hand, the other laid on her chest as she desperately holds in her bone rattling coughs. Her fit subsided as they reach the other side. She could still faintly feel her heart beat. She sighed in relief. She was still somewhat human.

Frisk seems to tense coming through the grass in the half light, so they urged on. Kia tripped on something unseen and landed with her arms cushioning her fall. She looked down to see what she tripped over. It was the armless dinosaur creature in the stripped shirt.

"Oh, sorry about that, I didn't see you there. Are you alright?"

Kia checked to see if he was alright when the excited child shushed her and looked up towards the ledge above. Confused and a bit worried, they looked up as well. What breath Kia had in her disintegrating lungs was caught there. The warrior she 'saw' earlier was standing there on the platform above. Then came Papyrus. Kia didn't want to be here with Frisk. One, it was rude to eavesdrop. Two, it appears that this Undyne is after Frisk.

Kia hugged Frisk close to her when Papyrus left. He did defend them against his boss, but he couldn't compromise his job. Frisk wiggled out of their mom's embrace, anxious to get out before they were noticed. The grass rustled as Kia tried to keep Frisk still. Undyne noticed.

Kia's heart seemed to have stopped when her eye lights connected to that one glaring yellow eye. Kia clenched her teeth and glared right back as Undyne came closer and summoned a magic blue spear. Frisk shivered behind their mom, already feeling the Protective mode slowly activating.

Crimson eye lights slowly darkened to garnet as Kia shifted to glare into that yellow eye more firmly. Undyne looks around. Frisk grips the back of Kia's shirt firmly, to steady their mom and their nerves. Kia clenches her jaw as she saw Undyne notice the other child. Kia assumes that Undyne didn't want to cause a scene in front of the young armless dino since the warrior deactivated the spear and backed up.

The Warrior soon faded into the darkness until the one glowing yellow eye was the last to fade.

Kia calmed significantly, but didn't move until she could no longer feel Undyne's presence anymore. Getting up, Kia patted the dirt off hers and the shivering Frisk's clothes. Combing the hair out of Frisk's eyes, Kia smiled at them reassuringly. Frisk calmed and smiles back. The walked out of the grass but could not go too far since MonsterKid ran up beside them. Frisk was helpful in providing a name since they had met him in Snowdin Town.

He seems to be dancing in place as he taps his feet and spins around.

"Yo ... did you see the way she was staring at you ...?"

They did notice. They also know it wasn't a friendly stare.

"That ... was AWESOME! I'm SOOOO jealous!"

Jealous? Is she a hero figure here? Frisk just looked at MonsterKid confused. Kia just sighed.

"What'd you guys do to get her attention ...? Ha ha. C'mon! Let's go watch her beat up some bad guys!"

They watched as MonsterKid started to run off, but he tripped by the Save Point. Kia tried to help him up, but he brushed her off saying he could do it. Then he was gone. Kia just placed her phalanges on her bony hips in amusement and concern. Frisk had already touched the star. They were ready to leave.

Kia smirked at Frisk as her child bounced in place nervously. They could still feel the tension in the air. Kia just shook her head and grasped the star, making it vanish before going on to the next area. Frisk glanced between their mom and the empty save spot pensively.

They had a really bad feeling.


	15. Being Hunted

Chapter 15: Being Hunted

Kia studied the plank on the wall as Frisk observed the watery gap between land masses. Kia looked around the corner of the wall to see multiple buds planted in the soft soil. Walking over to it, it was as large, like some of the giant varieties of lily pads. Using one hand to gently lift the plant off the ground, it gave way easily. Poor plant. Kia gently placed it into the water and watched it float to the other side. Frisk grabbed the next plant and held it above their head, it made a squeak noise. Kia giggled. Frisk grinned. Between the two of them, they made a bridge of pretty pink flowers.

Like almost all things, Kia didn't trust this flower bridge. Kia went first. She cautiously placed a foot on one of the petals. It gave a little. Kia pulled back a bit hesitantly. She couldn't exactly swim anymore since her buoyancy had decreased, a lot. Kia clenched her jaw in worry. Frisk suddenly came bouncing along the flower bridge. Kia's heart just about stuttered into dust. Frisk gave a cheeky peace sign to their mom. Kia just gaped at their child before grinning as well.

"You cheeky little monkey, alright, I'm crossing! Please, be more cautious."

Kia laughed. She stepped more firmly on the flower. Unlike what she thought, it didn't sink under her weight too much that she would have to struggle across. Once she was safely across, she ruffled the giggling Frisk's hair. They were coming upon a wooden bridge this time when something splashed out of the water. It looked like a very muscular man with a horse head. Kia was already uncomfortable as he eyes both her and her child.

He started to flex and a battle begun. Kia was excluded from the area. Kia shuffled foot to foot in worry as she watch Frisk flex at 'Aaron?' Their SOUL was the only spot of color in the battle field. Kia squinted at their child's SOUL. It could be a trick of the light, but it seems like there is a coat of brighter red drenched around their child's SOUL. It had a dark aura surrounding it. Kia's brow bones pinched together in worry.

Kia winced when Aaron flexed and hit Frisk. Kia's hands were on the barrier surrounding the BATTLE. This is her first time witnessing her child BATTLE. She was very proud of them. Their form was good, their dodging was greater. Kia watched Aaron's _sweat_ hurt Frisk. Frisk's HP lowered again. Kia clenched her jaw and fists. She so badly wants to interfere, to protect Frisk, but doing so would smother Frisk's abilities and confidence. Kia relaxed when Aaron flexed himself out of the BATTLE and back into the water.

Immediately after the barrier fell, Kia went to her knees to check Frisk over. They had a few bruises and a couple of burns. Kia made worried noises. Frisk giggled and held one finger to halt Kia's worrying. They reached into their little pouch Kia just now noticed to produce a Bisicle. Pulling it apart, Frisk gave Kia the other half as they ate theirs to full health. Kia giggled at Frisk's pose of full health. Kia bit into her frozen treat too. She blinked. It tasted like some kind of berry. It was good. Ping! Her health rose a bit. Thu-thump ... Thu-thump ... Thu-thump .. Thu-thump . Thu-thump! Kia gasped for air and coughed. Her knees hit the ground at an unexpected weight. Her chest felt heavy. Kia breathed deeply to get used to having lungs again. She felt the little hands of her child on her shoulders. Kia glanced up to see them worried. Kia smirked a bit.

"I'm fine. Just, that was enough to give me two lungs full of air."

They nodded in understanding and gave a rueful smile. Frisk grabbed their mom's hand and lead her across the bridge to the next area. This time there was a bell like flower on the wall to recall the bridge flowers. So far, they had reached the sign on its little island, found a hidden bench with a quiche under it, and go to the other side of the gap to the doorway. Kia was cautious about taking the quiche. It didn't look too old and as far as Kia saw, no bugs were in the Underground. Frisk took it anyways. Kia grumbled but let it pass just this once. She didn't exactly have enough gold to buy anything to eat.

They were across the newly formed Bridge flowers when a phone rang. Kia was puzzled. She patted both of her back pockets. She didn't have her phone. It was back at Camp on the surface; she realized. Kia turned towards Frisk as they pulled out a plastic brick of an ancient phone. Now that she thought about it. Kia raised her phalanges for her inspection. She wouldn't be able to use her touch screen phone anymore anyways.

Kia waited for Frisk's call to end before asking who it was. Frisk signed that is was Papyrus who called. With the obvious way he was talking, Papyrus was hinting for them to change their armor, er clothing, so his friend wouldn't recognize them. Only problem is that they didn't have anything else to wear that had a higher defense. They passed through the doorway.

The Wishing Room

Frisk dashed towards the first Echo Flower.

" _A long time ago, monsters would whisper their wishes to the stars in the sky. If you hoped with all your heart, your wish would come true. Now, all we have are these sparkling stones on the ceiling_ _..."_

Now, Kia felt bad for these creatures. Kia listened to wishes the echo flowers produced as Frisked poked at each one more and more sadly. They were almost to the telescope to check that out when a creature attacked Kia with a flung bar of soap. After fighting Woshua, Kia was shining in her newly cleaned form. Kia is contently smiling as a freshly washed Frisk crumbled the wall to the next area. They came upon some kind of docks. Along the wall opposite of them, there were old tablets written on with Ancient Texts, surprisingly still readable.

"' _The War of Humans and Monsters.'"_

" _Why did the humans attack? Indeed, it seemed that they had nothing to fear. Humans are unbelievably strong. It would take the SOUL of nearly every monster ... just to equal the power of a single human SOUL."_

" _But humans have one weakness. Ironically, it is the strength of their SOUL. Its power allows it to persist outside the human body, even after death."_

This was alarmingly familiar to Kia. From what Kia could learn during her time with the MageScientists, they were after the understanding of the human SOUL since Monsters were originally on the surface and back then, humans could use magic. They wanted to know what made up the SOUL, how it functioned, how monster and human SOULS were different, why can only Monsters can absorb Human SOULS, why genuine human magic disappeared into cheap or elaborate tricks of the mind, and if they could use their SOUL's magic again.

One in particular scientist, the one that noticed her, wanted something more than just knowledge. He wanted to know why human or powerful SOULs stayed around after their hosts' died. _He_ wanted to know if a host could last just as long as a powerful, a _determined_ human SOUL could. There are reasons why there are _ghost_ stories ... and those could last for centuries though word of mouth or written in text.

" _If a monster defeats a human, they can take its SOUL. A monster with a human SOUL... A horrible beast with unfathomable power."_

Kia didn't bother to look at the last tablet with the illustration. Just imagining an image from the descriptions was enough to scare her. It felt very ... accurate.

Kia looked at the one panel walkway. She didn't want to lose Frisk in case they wanted to suddenly explore the darkness. An idea lite itself inside her skull, Kia turned around while pulling her hair forward and knelt in front of Frisk. Soon enough, she felt the weight of her child settling on her back. With a flick of her radius and ulna, Kia's hair became a curtain surrounding Frisk. Lifting Frisk higher on her back, Kia began to walk down the narrowly lite path until she came to some more docks next to a stone pathway with large pillars.

A loose hold and some sleepy mumbles told Kia that Frisk had fallen asleep. Kia absently hums a lullaby as she walked along. Suddenly, a neon light blue spear lodged itself in front of Kia. Newly formed lungs suddenly couldn't get enough air as Kia ran with all her might, away from the knight coming after her and her child. During her flight, Frisk had woken up and clung to their mom with all their might in fear.

Kia turned her head to see where their attacker was coming from the shadows. In the corner of her eye socket, she saw something darker blue and shadowed white hidden between the cattail like plants in the marsh below the docks up head. Her attention was diverted by a flash of blue magic sparked the shadows behind the columns. The lite features of a merciless knight helm gave Kia chills enough to rattle her bones. As the multiple glowing spears formed in front of their assailant, Kia came to a turn in the docks. She couldn't dodge the attacking magic in time. She made a leap over the dark space to the rest of the docks.

She could feel the killing intent.

The attack was going to hit Frisk!

Kia made to turn midair.

She turned her head to see the spears coming closer. Her eye lights started to turn gar-

Suddenly, a wall of bones formed as a barrier between her and the hidden knight. Kia felt the wood of the docks collide with her pelvis and tail bone as she landed, leaning forward desperately so Frisk wouldn't be crushed under her weight. Kia gasped for breath but scrambled to keep running with all her might. Eventually, she came to some tall grasses. She tripped again on something unseen. Kia's skull clunked onto the ground harshly. Frisk fell off her back and scrambled to pick up Kia's shoulder as their mom panted for breath. Kia was only able to crawl a short distance to see she had tripped on Monster Kid again. Kia's normally beating heart froze.

There was Undyne stalking through the grasses. Kia reached out and grasped Frisk in a hug. She curled around her child to form a protective ball. Monster Kid looked at her in concern and weirdly. Kia's SOUL suddenly felt light as she was forcibly moved over to the side as Monster Kid came up to her to see if she was alright. Instead, he was roughly grabbed by the side of his face by Undyne. He suddenly forgot them as he smiled at his hero. Undyne sighed in frustration and let him go. She left without a single word.

Kia released her hold on Frisk and collapsed on the ground next to them. Frisk's little hands found themselves on Kia's skull, gently brushing way their mom's hair. They need to know their mom was alright. They paused as they saw red residue turning their mom's features sharp and feral. Kia's eye sockets were closed but opened to show garnet eye lights slowly fading into their normal warm scarlet. Frisk couldn't even _think_ of anything about this new development in their mom. Was, was she turning into one of creatures here?

Then the magic was gone, leaving her usual soft features. Relief filled their mom's expression. Kia shifted to lift a skeletal hand, intending to cup their child's cheek in affection and reassurance. Then she saw Frisk's expression. She drew in a sharp breath as her tears flooded her darkening eye sockets. She closed her hand and climbed to her feet.

A sharp crack snapped through the air and Kia collapsed again with nary a sound. She hacked and coughed up dust onto the bed of grass. Frisk rushed up to their mom. They felt terrible. Why did they think their own _mom_ would end up turning on them? Tears built up in their eyes. Neither noticed Monster Kid awkwardly shuffling before leaving. Frisk gently placed a hand on their mom's shoulder. Kia only glanced briefly at them in sorrow before getting up once more and offering her hand to her child. Fisk gave a weak smile and clasped their hand with hers.

Another SAVE point disappeared in the Underground.


	16. History and Fun

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And with this we are caught up!

Chapter 16: History and Fun

In the next area, we were able to see Sans next to a telescope and another creature with a cave entrance in between them. Frisk immediately let go of Kia's hand to see what the stout skeleton was up to now. Kia had also immediately felt the loss of feeling in her hand. She took in a deep breath and approached Sans as Frisk left with a red circle around their eye from the eye piece on the pranked telescope. Kia smirked tiredly in humor.

Frisk went into the cave to explore. Taking a quick peek to make sure it was safe; there was only what seemed to be an ice cream vendor. Giving a sigh, she looked at a nervous Sans. She smiled.

"Hi Marshmallow"

He jumped, as if he couldn't stand the sound of her voice without being afraid or nervous. Guilt pools in Kia's nonexistent stomach. She did this. He blinked and awkwardly chuckled.

"oh, ah, hey how've ya been?"

"Oh, I've been scared, sad, and grateful, nothing too out of the ordinary."

He stared at her in slight confusion.

"grateful? For what?"

Kia rolled her eye lights. Of course, he would play dumb. Wouldn't want Undyne knowing that he protected her and Frisk. Fine, she could keep a secret. Kia smirked at him mysteriously.

"For everything"

She held out her hand gently for him to take. She smiled at him softly. Sans hesitated. He doesn't know what to do with an approachable Kia. Was it a trick? What is she thinking? Well, one way to find out. He grasped her hand lightly, so if he needs to, he can snatch it away. He didn't expect her to step forward, forcing him to step back into his little alcove. This hid them from view of the little white drop creature nearby.

Sans was just about to let go of her hand and teleport away when he registered that her grip on his hand was gentle. Her other arm had come around his side in a very loose hug with their clasped hands between them. Her chin was timidly resting on his clavicle. Something dripped onto his shoulder. He was almost too shocked to hear her whisper.

"Thank you"

She let go as soon as he blinked. He watched in confusion as she smiled one last time before moving to the entrance of the cave to pick up a sticky fingered Frisk, who offered her a Nice Cream. They waved goodbye and left through Echo Marsh.

Sans let out the breath he didn't know he was holding.

Xxxxxxxxxxx

Frisk went about exploring the pathways as Kia was a few steps behind, keeping an eye out for danger. In their wandering, they had found a patch of tall grass with a pair of ballet slippers hidden among the tall blades. Frisk was quick to put them on and start twirling about the small clusters of glowing mushrooms. Kia chuckled.

Coming back around to take another route, Kia admired the water as Frisk stopped to take a call. Kia knelt down to dip her phalanges into the current. Strange light particles twirled into the air and the current flowed against her hand. It was pretty.

Kia glanced at the water and paused. Staring back at her was someone she didn't recognize. She clenched her jaw and furrowed her brows. The skull with brown yellow hair and scarlet eye lights did the exact same thing with its' visible jaw bone and pliable brow bones. Kia's eye lights dimmed as she stared. Her hand suddenly came up to slap it across her face with water. Her darkened eye sockets were watering with red tears.

Kia jumped at the hand on her shoulder. Frisk was frowning in concern. Kia swallowed her self-pity and got up. That is what she looks like now. She just needs to deal with it. Kia smiled at the unconvinced Frisk and continued to walk.

They passed another echo flower with the continued passing conversation. The pauses in the conversation must be really long with the distance between flowers still make a coherent talk. The board walk ended soon after. Kia noticed a small alcove with another History Plank was hanging all by its lonesome.

' _The power to take their SOULs. This is the power that the humans feared.'_

Kia sighed. So it was depicted the human nature, whatever couldn't be understood or accepted, it was feared for whatever reason. Then what is feared would soon be hated for going against common logic or principle. Flashes of fellow test subjects mutilated beyond recognition flowed through Kia's fore mind before being pushed back.

They continued to the next room where they met Onionsan. It seems to be an accurate name since the shape the octopus' head looked like an onion. After that, we came upon another area that seemed very lonely. Kia turned a corner to see what would be at the northern room. She encountered a fish monster.

She seemed really shy and her attacks were vocal. Kia decided to hum a sad song. Kia sang a verse of the sad song as she dodged the music notes headed her way. Kia spared her when Shyren had gained enough confidence in herself. Kia glanced back to Frisk to see if they were alright. Frisk was dancing an attempt at ballet. Kia giggled and twirled them around. Frisk spun and spun until they stopped to lean on their mom to keep from being dizzy.

Kia laughed and hoisted them into her boney arms. She crossed over to read the plank on the wall next to the room.

' _The northern room hides a great treasure.'_

Kia ooooed in pleasant surprise. Kia went in the room. There was only a piano and a riddle. She checked behind the piano, nothing there. She moved on with a snoring Frisk in her arms. The long hallway held puddles and more History Planks.

' _This power has no counter. Indeed, a human cannot take a monster's SOUL. When a monster dies, its SOUL disappears. And an incredible power would be needed to take the SOUL of a living monster.'_

Ki clenched her jaw. She did not like where these are going.

' _There is only one exception. A SOUL of a special species of monster called a "Boss Monster." A Boss Monster's SOUL is strong enough to persist after death... If only for a few moments. A human could absorb this SOUL. But this has never happened. And now it never will.'_

Kia clenched her eye lids shut and stopped walking. She has a feeling that this is going to foreshadow something. Something not good.

Kia kept walking. She passed a stone statue being rained on. Kia noticed that its feet were dry. Kia glanced back at its hooded and shadowed face and gave a nod of silent respect. The next area had a bucket of umbrellas. Getting an idea, Kia smiled. Since her other had was occupied by holding up her child comfortably, she only had one hand available to carry an umbrella.

Kia walked back to tuck the umbrella into the statue's lap. A music box started to play, gently waking up Frisk. Kia smiled and swayed as she enjoyed the little tune. Frisk slipped out of their Mom's grip to take her hands and sway with her. They smiled.

The Kia remembered the riddle. Listening more closely, Kia hummed along as she went back to the piano room and played the piano to the music. If, anything, she only able to play the piano just barely. Years ago in high school she was in the choir program and when need of it came up she learned what keys were what note to help out and do a little more on her part. Kia jumped in surprise when a wall collapsed almost right now. Frisk skidded back into the room from which they wondered from to see a freshly made cave entrance. They dashed inside, before Kia could step toward it. She dashed inside as well.

Inside there was only a stand with a red orb on top. This was the treasure. Frisk approached it but stopped to look into their pocket. A white Pomeranian popped out and padded for the Ancient Artifact. Kia grabbed it first and shooed away the dog. It didn't look like much. Kia put it away in her bag for now.

They came back to the bucket of umbrellas to pick up two. They walked on to a hallway that continuously rained. Frisk hopped in puddles as they walked. Kia hummed to fill in the silence. They came upon MonsterKid taking cover under a too small overhang of rock. He smiled as he noticed the two.

"Yo, you guys got umbrellas? Awesome!"

He run right up behind Frisk to share the small space. The three traveled through the reflective puddles. For moments at a time MonsterKid would stop to gush about either Undyne or simply talk. Kia assumes he doesn't like the silence.

The next room was dark with a dim light from above to see, but it was dry. It wasn't until MonsterKid run up ahead to stare at something in the distance that Kia noticed the ceiling of crystals and the castle just below them. It was a beautiful sight. When they had their fill of the sight, they moved on. When there came a ledge, Kia helped Frisk up and offered the same to MonsterKid, but the little dino wanted to find another way on his own. He ran off, tripped, got back up, and continued in the other direction. Kia just shook her head.

Kia climbed up the ledge with little difficulty. Frisk helped by pulling on her clothes. Once properly on the ledge, Kia patted herself down, and Frisk did the same. They walked until they came to another SAVE point and two more planks on the wall. Kia decided to read those History Planks first. She hummed to the distant music that she can somehow still hear.

" _The human, afraid of our power, declared war on us. They attacked suddenly, and without mercy."_

" _In the end, it could hardly be called a war. United, the humans were too powerful, and us monsters, too weak. Not a single SOUL was taken, and countless monsters were turned to dust ..."_

Ki suddenly thought to when she met Marshmallow. A chill slithered across her bones. She suddenly understood by what he meant by 'dusting.' Kia clenched her jaw. She continued to hum to the music box as she grasped the SAVE point. She looked up at the ceiling to see the droplet. She absorbed the energy, giving her life after death. Her Soul reversed its progression to being introverted.

Kia is DETERMINED to protect Frisk, so she wouldn't dust any one.

Within her bleeding SOUL, multiple others heard and felt her emotions. They smiled and hoped. Things are going to be alright. Kia could handle almost anything coming her way. Frisk is smart. They can figure out what to do in any situation.

With all their hopes and dreams for the happiness of this small family, their wish has to come true ... right?


	17. First Resurrection

Chapter 17: First Resurrection

They started onto the board walk when sudden light neon blue circles started to surround them. Terror seized Kia's barely functioning heart when spears spikes up all around them. It was a blur to her after that. There was a lot of running, harsh breathing, and near heart attacks at the close calls. At the end of the board walk was dark _nothing_. It was just a drop off into darkness and rushing water.

Kia stood before Frisk with the intention of protecting her child but that only got the point of Undyne's flying spear slicing off the board walk behind her. Kia turned in time to see Frisk's terrified expression before she jumped after them, just narrowly missing Undyne's grab for her arm. Kia skydived after her child and pulled them towards her. They clung to each other for dear life. Kia couldn't think anymore as they turned in dizzying spirals in the void filled with rushing air.

Suddenly, the flower patch ground found them and Kia landed under her child with a loud CRUNCH.

_Why? What did we do to deserve this? Do our SOULS have to do ANYTHING other than be who we are?_

_I winced at the cracks and chokes I could hear from the examination room down the hall. Sudden silence had shut my eyes in resignation with another SOUL freed and one SOUL scarred even further. The doors opened to see a strait jacketed and muzzled Experiment DETERMINATION being led by three extremely muscled men. I peered at her through my crossed arms atop my knees to see past her curtain of limp sweated hair hiding her expression. The shadows under eyes had darkened again under her dull eyes. I looked away as the rattle of the bars opened for her cell across from mine._

_A strangled scream caught my attention as one of the burly men had tried to do something to the breaking woman and paid for it with his fingers. DT stood solidly before the hunched man before she powered kicked him out of her cell and slammed the door closed with her foot before the others could recover from their dog pile._

_Shivers passed down my spine when I noticed her expression hadn't changed in the slightest. The mentioned men stood and sneered at her as they rattled her bars in jeers before leaving, bored of her lack of reaction. Some shuffling came from the other cells, but it soon stopped as she slowly perched herself on her cot to stare at the opposing concrete wall._

_Silence reined the area._

_I looked again and suddenly caught her eyes. They looked like two voids staring right through me. It was extremely unnerving. I attempted to give a small smile in reassurance, to convey that everything will be alright in the end. That is was going to_ _okay_ _. Mumbles and whispers echoed softly throughout the prison. Either to share information or to ask if she was alright, she didn't acknowledge anyone._

 _Her expression stayed the same. As if she couldn't muster any energy to form the emotions to be a human being. As much as I am scared for my life and my sister's livelihood back home, I am terrified for this woman who has to face this pain and sorrow and_ _**responsibility** _ _every day._

 _He cried_ _**for** _ _her._

_He wished he could help her ... to protect her ... instead of her protecting all of us._

_Why? Why her? What did_ _she_ _do to deserve this?_

Vision slowly returned to her as she woke to pain. Where was she? Was she still in the cell? Soft sobbing was heard. Was it K4, uh, Kai again? Why? She has killed so many. She doesn't deserve anyone's tears and sorrow.

Kia slowly came to awareness. Rushing water was close by. The sobbing continued along with timid touches to her face. Soft crinkles of something and groan of wood the shifting of weight resulted.

"Mommy," A small voice warbled, "please, please wake up! Don't leave me like Daddy did."

Kia gasped for air as she immediately recognized that small voice she hasn't heard for so long. Frisk. Frisk! She need to GET UP! Pain shot up her spine and the back of her ribs as she creaked on her shaking arm bones to sit up to properly face Frisk and sooth their fears. Small arms wrapped themselves around her middle as Frisk's face vanished in the front of her shirt as they sobbed in earnest.

**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**

Sans panted out of breathe as he finally short cut to where Kia and Frisk were supposed to be, only to see a frustrated and confused Undyne up ahead on the docks. Sans stood to catch his breath as the Head of the Royal Guard approached at an increased pace. When the Captain finally stomped up to Sans, Sans was relieved to see that she was unsuccessful in her capture. Things are going along the appropriate flow.

"Sans," Undyne barked behind her helmet, "Out of the way! I have a Human SOUL to collect and a Monster to save!"

Sans was able to side step Undyne's focused charge off the docks. Sans looked after her and shrugged. He started on the way across the docks to view the scene below. When he got to the sliced off part, he looked down in the darkness. A bit of magic will allow him to see and hear what is going on down there.

Sobbing was the first sound he heard before he saw Frisk bent over the body of an unresponsive skeleton. He suddenly felt bad for the kid. Taking a closer look, his nonexistent breath stopped in his nonexistent lungs. Lying under Frisk wasn't a skeleton monster but a human corpse with a dripping broken Human SOUL slowly leaving the body. With the way her arms were positioned around Frisk, he could only assumed that she took the fall's hit herself to save Frisk.

Sudden feeling slowly wormed its way out of his SOUL at the sight. Shaking his head, he tried to access her STATs.

**KIA 0/200 LV 41**

WHAT?! How is this possible? Everyone is accounted for. There weren't any rumors of a murderous Lady Skeleton or Human Child killing any monsters. Neither of them should have killed a Monster.

His questioned was soon answered by Frisk's impossibly sad and small voice.

"Mommy, please, please wake up! Don't leave me like Daddy did."

Frisk was in pain. They are hurting. They're _suffering_. Kia is making Frisk suffer in sacrificing herself to save her child, leaving them alone with Survivor's Guilt. Sans wilted and hunched in second hand pain for the kid. This was too familiar to him.

**KIA 1/200 LV 41**

What? What is going on?

Sans' left eye blazed with magic as the impossible started to happen.

Kia's SOUL was mending itself and being reabsorbed into her corpse as she struggled to sit up with shattered and severely fractured bones.

**KIA 5/200 LV 41**

**KIA 10/200 LV 41**

**KIA  15/200 LV41**

**KIA 20/200 LV 41**

Kia's empty eye sockets blazed to life with two solid crimson eye lights and bone eye lids. Her once harden bone features softened with magic give her expression and the illusion of flesh refilling her clothes. The expression of fierce DETERMINATION and affection and sorrow was terrifying.

This was nothing like Genocide Frisk. They would go back to their last SAVE Point. _They_ went back in time to come back from the dead. Kia came back through sheer force of will. What is keeping her alive? The Will to Live? Sans doesn't believe that one bit.

Suddenly, the SAVE Point a couple of feet away from them disappears. Sans get a start. Where did it go? Sans strains his eye a little more. Wisps of multicolored vapors were flowing from the SAVE Point's location. Then more wisps of magic from far off distance he couldn't see were being sucking into her very SOUL. Multiple colors glowed between the cracks of her bleeding SOUL helped in the flow by being the vacuum, healing her bit by bit as she tried to calm the hysterically relived and happy Frisk. Sans stared at her SOUL closer.

The pit in a stomach he doesn't have dropped when he saw _broken Human SOULS_ tucked within her vibrant RED SOUL.

Then out of nowhere, a large orb of pearly white magic hurled itself from up above into Kia, making her gasp in Frisk's embrace. Her appearance went from freshly dead human corpse to healthily alive Skeleton Monster. The multiple colors faded back within her SOUL as their job was done.

Sans fell to his knees at the edge of the air and darkness as his magic gave out under the strain. His sweat rained down his skull. His breathe was lost. Quite honestly, he didn't know what to think anymore. Questions and thoughts jumbled about within his skull looking for some semblance of a thought process or some kind of order.

Far below, Kia stood on shaky knee caps as Frisk clung to her like a bur on an animal's fur. Frisk had a koala hold on Kia so the mother wrapped her arms around the distraught child and held them close. Unknown to either of them, a forgotten poltergeist was done being ignored.

They waded through the low water between trash piles to continue travels, passing the empty SAVE Point spot.

Chara slipped from Frisk's healthy, whole SOUL over the short distance to the exhausted broken red SOUL of Kia. They grinned as they settled over the returning SOUL. Slowly, but surely, they drank in the excess DETERMINATION. They shall soon be strong enough to influence and maybe even _take over_ this host.

Soon


	18. The Heavy Drudged Up

Chapter 18: The Heavy Drudged Up

Kia was exhausted.

She was currently battling Mad Dummy. Well, an aggravated ghost hosting inside of a burlap training dummy with no arms and only a stool to stand on. It was currently doing an armless ska dance apparently, but an exhausted Kia was a grumpy Kia. By the time the Mad Dummy was ready to use its knife, Kia was _done_ with this battle. She just wanted to crawl somewhere safe, cuddle with Frisk, and just _go to_ _ **sleep!**_

Kia dodged the poorly thrown knife. Grabbing the hilt of slow moving knife, she stopped before she could jab the hilt of the blade onto the FIGHT button. Something snapped, but it wasn't the button. Brow bones furrowed. What happened? Kia lifted the inches away hilt and used her other hand to SPARE the Mad Dummy. It... wasn't her turn. He looked incredibly nervous.

"I'm... out of knives."

He started to spaz out. His three parts flew all around as he gets madder and angrier. Kia was just staring at him blankly, just waiting for him to be done with tantrum.

"BUT IT DOESN'T MATTER! YOU CAN'T HURT ME AND I CAN'T HURT YOU! YOU'LL BE STUCK FIGHTING ME..."

He paused. He seemed to calm down. Kia squinted at him.

"Forever. Forever! FOREVER!"

He stated to discombobulate all over again laughing hysterically as Kia knocked her knuckles against the bridge of her nose and sighed. She shifted so her weight would sit on one leg as she waited impatiently for the Mad Dummy to _calm down_ a bit. So far, it wasn't happening.

Kia inspected the knife in her hand as the Mad Dummy continues to spaz. Kia tried to open her hand or at least loosen her grip on the dang thing, but her hand refused. Warning bells rang off through her mind. Something was wrong.

Frisk had plastered themselves against the wall of the BATTLE area. They have been looking for ways to get past the barrier, but so far they haven't come up with any ideas. Chara was nowhere to be found, and Frisk felt especially lonely and lost without their friend beside them.

Frisk sighed in relief as Napstablook came in with his magical tears attack. Frisk dashed over to glop onto their Mom as the Barrier finally fell. Kia's arm had instinctively folded behind her to support Frisk's sudden piggy back ride. Kia looked uncomfortable with Napstablook's low self-esteem. Frisk smiled and waved hello to their friend over their Mom's shoulder.

"well... i'm going to head home now... oh... um... feel free to 'come with' if you want... but no pressure... i understand if you're busy... it's fine... no worries... just thought i'd offer..."

He flouted away up the ramp. Frisk patted their Mom on the shoulder and pointed after the ghost. Kia took a moment but shrugged. She was too tired to think anymore. Plus she needed to focus on forcing her hand to let go of the damn knife without Frisk knowing it was a struggle to begin with.

"We were invited. Let's go."

Sloshing through the water onto the ramp, they came to see Napstablook beyond a pond of water and a SAVE point. He turned to direct them to his house and left. Frisk slid down to touch the star before Kia could crush and absorb it. Kia stumbled awake from her daze and smiled down at Frisk. The knife fell to the floor next to the pond. Kia nudged it into the water with a plop.

Frisk smiled back and began to explore around the area with Kia in tow. They had seen a duck that could only take one across, a fish house with a training dummy in front, and a really small snail farm. There wasn't much to do at the farms other than to lose money to an inadequate racing snail. Speaking of money how did this much gold end up in Kia's bag? Was it really from winning the BATTLES she had with all the monsters she has encountered? Is this some kind of game to them where they give a reward for being defeated? This is ridiculous! Kia just couldn't understand.

Eventually, they ended up on the floor of Napstablook's house after listening to some spook tunes, attempting to eat a ghost sandwich, and awkwardly chatting with the depressive DJ ghost. While Napstablook and Frisk were experiencing something cosmic, Kia had fallen asleep uncomfortably on the hard floor.

_Kill them_

What?

_Kill them_

Why?

...

Sudden images of her opponents during her time as a test subject flashed through her mind's landscape. Terror, guilt and ... relief filled my body after ending each life.

Stop it

Their eye glazed over. Their floating SOULs shattering. Blood stained her trembling fists. A sense of peace and acceptance suddenly forced its way into her heart.

STOP IT!

Running through the grass with K4 behind her, mutant humans with tortured animal SOULs fused into them chased after them, searching, hunting for their blood, their bodies, their SOULs. A squawk and screech sounded from above and behind the trees they had just escaped from. Green filled her vision as they stopped before a cliff. A large orange humanoid bird flapped just behind them above in the air as a lion growled and whined just below, mad without reasoning. The bird thing let out a squawk of pain before diving for them. The lion roared and charged half hearted. They used to be in the cells across from K4 and DT.

No

They were flying through the air. Feathers in their terrified grips. Roars echoed weakly behind them as another life was taken slowly for survival.

No more ... please...

A coo of understanding and fluttering could be heard before warm thick liquid ran in rivers down her hands. A gentle sad smile turned wide and full of teeth with pain. Salty rivers passed down dirty cheeks as K4 heaved behind a bush behind her. The sensation of what she was doing was **right** welled within her once again. _It was sickening_.

... please ...

Kia was surround by unconscious bodies of their previous torturers. She held onto Kai as he smiled at her with that small genuine smile of his. He always tried so hard to cheer her up. She couldn't tear up; because, she trying so **hard** to stop the bleeding, to try to _save_ the life in front of her. She hoped with all her might that he will make it until the ambulance came. She was DETERMINED. His eyes glazed over. Peace and calm forced it's way into her heart, her SOUL. Kia refused. Stop! STOP it! Why! WHY is it always like this?! WHY CAN'T I **FEEL**!

...

_Make them suffer as much as you did. I know how you feel when you killed them. Make_ _**yourself** _ _feel better!_

Something wasn't right. Intruder. Intruder! INTERUDER!

WHO ARE YOU?!

Kia woke up in sweat with maniac giggles echoing around her skull. Suddenly she noticed that she was clinging to something _really_ soft. Eye sockets snapping open as she instantly released the flustered ghost, Kia sat up in a startle. Looking around in fluster and embarrassment, Kia's eye lights focused on the giggling of Frisk as they held their stomach tight. Kia sighed in relief. She gave a half-hearted glare at her child before turning to Napstablook. He looked to have a blush and didn't really look at her when she apologized for the embarrassing situation. He just shrugged off her apology, and then admitted meekly that it wasn't so bad.

Flustered and blushing, Kia lead the amused Frisk out the door after a few polite moments of saying 'See Ya Later.' It wasn't until we were outside that Kia noticed that Frisk had tuned in some of the DJ Ghost's music. Soon after leaving a tunnel out into the other larger area, Kia encountered Aaron and Woshua. It was, uh interesting to say the least.

Moving on to the left, Kia entered shop with Frisk to buy some food. A couple of bottles of Sea Tea and a dozen of Crab Apples later they left to continue down the tunnel. Eventually, they found more History Tablets on the wall.

'Hurt, beaten, and fearful for our lives, we surrendered to the humans. Seven of their greatest magicians sealed us underground with a magic spell. Anything can enter through the seal, but only beings with a powerful SOUL can leave.'

They were nearing a water fall and a pool to cross over, surrounded by echo flowers.

'There is only one way to reverse this spell. If a huge power, equivalent to seven human SOULs, attacks the barrier ... it will be destroyed.'

Frisk was quiet was they treaded through the water. A reluctant chime echoed around the rush of water and their splashes.

" _Mom, do you think we can help them?"_

Kia stayed quiet for a moment longer. Her shoulders seemed to be weighed down even more than before. Weight of her memories, weight of protecting, weight of promises, and the weight of LOVE ... and love held up less and less surely.

They passed another tablet. This tablet was more opinionated and bleak than all the others.

'But this cursed place has no entrances or exits. There is no way a human could come here. We will remain trapped down here forever.'

"I don't know, but if there is a way, I'm sure we'll find it."


	19. Calm Before the Storm

Chapter 19: Calm before the Storm

The visually unlikely family of two passed the maze of lanterns and dimming crystals in silence. From reading the last of those History Tablets, they were not in the mood for anything cheery. Frisk was slowly becoming scared as they entered an area with almost no light to see by. Frisk had scrambled onto their mom's back in reassurance and fright as the Lady Skeleton with a human heart and SOUL walked on through the water until they came to dry land and a single echo flower.

After listening to the flower's warning, they came two faces to one helmet with Undyne. Kia dropped into her stance, prepared to defend her treasure, who dropped to stand and silent behind her. Then Undyne spoke. It was most certainly female, but it sounded gruff and muffed by the helmet and probably a mouth full of teeth to speak around. Her voice was proud and resigned as well as venomous.

"... Seven ... Seven human souls. With the power of seven human souls, our king ... King Asgore Dreemurr ... will become a god. With that power, Asgore can finally shatter the barrier. He will finally take the surface back from humanity ... and give them back the suffering and pain that we have endured."

Some foreign feeling welled up within Kia's mind: indignation. How dare she. _How dare she say those words to us! They betrayed us first! They_ _belong_ _it this miserable pit!_ What are you talking about?! Come out into the open and screech your injustices at her if you want them to suffer so much. **Don't lash out on an unrelated party.**

_As IF you are unrelated ..._

What do you m-!

Kia was attacked internally with a massive migraine. It was the intruder. Kia's vision blurred and her hearing went out as Undyne continued her accusations of forcing 'the' skeleton to do the human's dirty work and of past grievances from a war humans have long forgotten, and pressed her justice upon Frisk, for Undyne doesn't know that Kia is a human with unfortunate circumstances. Kia lifted her slowly bowing head when the first wreck of a beginning sob shook through a tiny hand and through Kia's boney frame. This rattle scattered the last bit of gray flesh dust, besides her slowly beating disconnect heart, to fall and land on the ground.

Kia instantly became pissed off.

Garnet slit eye lights glowed with fury at the Captain Gaurdswoman. Undyne met Kia's gaze with her own blazing yellow eye as she prepared to set up the battle field. Glowing neon light blue spear appeared in the knight's hands as she started to charge at Kia. Suddenly, MonsterKid rushed out of the bushes between the tense females about to battle. Tension released its grip on Kia as if it was on unclamped recoil. Eventually, MonsterKid recognized the situation, and Undyne stomped away with MK's cheek in her pincer grip from the high strung mother and her frightened child.

When Kia finally calmed down enough to collapse in a heap of ratty clothes and dry-ish bones, her mind was going haywire. Kia closed her eye sockets to try and regain some amount of focus. Within the darkness of the back of her eye lids, something stood out in a gentle glow. It was her SOUL. Bleeding less fiercely but no less cracked and scarred; it was almost completely introverted. It just needed an inch more to go.

It also looked sick. The usual red coloration of her SOUL didn't seem quite the same shade as it was before. Sudden various color flares from within her SOUL's cracks seem to be fighting against a sinister red film tainting and weakening her SOUL. She wondered at the various colors battling for dominance and freedom. A sudden sharp wave of trembling helplessness of no strength overcame her senses for she could already feel the effects of the intruder.

She didn't have much time.

She wasn't able to focus on this revelation when Frisk plastered themselves to her front sobbing and muttering apologies so soft Kia could barely hear them. Frisk apologized over and over for their mom's current physical state, for a friend they apparently had some time ago, and for climbing up this stupid mountain in the first place. Kia hugged them back fiercely, protectively, and lovingly. She whispered to them her truthful reassurances. It wasn't their fault. It was never _their_ fault. It was _nobody's_ fault. Things happen outside of their control, and it couldn't be helped. Tears slid down her cheek bones, and she actually felt the remorse and the guilt and overall sorrow of their situation. She could _feel_ again.

_Stop this incessant crying! Move on already! This is just a waste of time. You should be avenging yourself, the_ _ others _ _, and_ _**ME** _ _. Make them pay for making me suffer!_

Kia shoved away the little nuisance she had gained in her mind. It had just proved to herself that she officially went insane. She focused on getting Frisk to calm down and repair their confidence as much as she could. Kia hummed the lullaby they heard from the statue before this mess befell them. Frisk settled against her chest as they closed their eyes to feel the vibrations of her humming. They fell unconscious.

Kia was tired. Her bones creaked as she moved slowly to stand. Her joints hurt, and she waded back into the water and up the newly revealed path before Undyne could come back to find them. Kia ignored the echo flowers brushing her hips as they whispered a passing conversation. A wish passed through her mind. She smirked at the hilarity of it. She had the same wish about a random American-chinses restaurant on the rare few times she talked to K4 as DT, not to Kai as Kia. It was on first day they saw each other before ... everything.

Kia paused to read another tablet on the wall.

'However ... There is a prophecy. The Angel ... The One Who Has Seen the Surface ... They will return. And the underground will go empty.'

Kia blinked and walked away. She walking cautiously, more like fearfully, across a wooden bridge without safety rails. Kia didn't even like heights on even  _solid_ ground. She was about to be given the relief of stable ground soon enough, but was stopped by MonsterKid.

"Yo!"

This woke up Frisk in a start as they looked around frantically before calming down. They wanted down, but Kia was skeptical at minimum, but their insistent tugging had her sighing and carefully balancing Frisk on the narrow bridge. MK had moved closer to them to speak to them easier. Kia was worried he might trip again and fall into the chasm below. He looked nervous and a bit sad.

"Yo, I know I'm not supposed to be here, but ... I wanna ask you something.

"... Man. I've never had to ask anyone this before... Um... Yo ... you're human, right?"

Both Kia and Frisk nodded. Kia gave a sad smile when MK gave her a confused look. She just shrugged and lifted a phalange to her teeth with a wink. MK smiled ruefully and returned his attention to Frisk.

"Man, I knew it!

"... well, I know it now, I mean ... Undyne told me, um, 'stay away from that human.'

"So, like, um ... I guess that makes us enemies or something."

Kia frowned. MK continued, not noticing.

"But I kinda stink at that, haha. Yo, say something mean so I can hate you? Please?"

Frisk shook their head vigorously and smiled at MK. Frisk signed to MK. The bell on their wrist chimed a comforting ring.

' _I'm sorry, but I don't want to be your enemy MK! I'm sure that mom would think the same.'_

"That is true. We don't have to be enemies just because other people dictate it. It's important for you to make your own choices in situations like this."

MK contemplated a moment before nodding in surety.

"I'll think on it. I'm, I'm going to go home now. Bye!"

Kia waved with a small smile. Frisk did the same.

"Stay safe, you hear," Kia called after the little reptile.

MK tripped. Kia gasped and lifted a foot to come to his aid, heights be damned, but Frisk had beaten her to his rescue. Undyne decided to make reappearance on the other side of the bridge. Kia bared her teeth in her fierce smile in fury and annoyance. WHEN WILL SHE LEAVE THEM ALONE! Kia was just about to lunge at the knight in pure frustration when MK started to nervously tell Undyne to back off. The knight left in reluctance and a bit of shock.

Kia was tired.

MK had decided that him and Frisk, and by extension Kia, were going to be friends. After the goodbyes, MK ran off without tripping this time towards home as Frisk approached their wary mother. Kia gave Frisk a tired smirk and weak thumbs up. They moved on.

They encountered Undyne again. Kia was confused. Was there another way for the knight to get past them without them noticing to get here first; because, Kia was pretty sure she didn't see another path coming here. Kia was too tired to care anymore.

Undyne was speaking but the wind was howling, so Kia couldn't make out what Undyne was saying. Then Undyne took off her helmet in a flash of magic light to show her fishy face, her red hair, and sharp crooked teeth. Then she went on shouting nonsense before bellowing about the suffering of her people and her justice and her complaints about how Kia and Frisk had acted up until this point of their journey. Kia just didn't _care_ anymore. They weren't doing anything wrong. There was no way Kia was going to roll over without a fight.

Kia was exhausted, but she was DETERMINED to see this through.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> alright yall, this is all the light stuff i'll be given ya. from now on it is going to get as dark, intense, and sad as I can make it. You have been warned!


	20. The Start of the End

Chapter 20: The Start of the End

Given the choice of stepping forward when ready, Kia made sure to talk to Frisk. After the SAVE point disappeared, Kia grabbed Frisk's shoulder to stop them from facing Undyne with a resigned face. Crouching down to their level, Kia looked into their eyes. Kia gave a small smile as she combed some of their mussed hair out of their face before sighing, looking away from them. Kia looked back up when she could speak again. Frisk had placed their little hands on Kia's forearms, where her hands were resting on both of her child's shoulders.

"Frisk. I will BATTLE Undyne."

Kia moved her hands to still Frisk's as they tried to sign a protest. Their bell went silent. Kia started to rub circles on her child's impossibly small hands. Kia cleared her imaginary throat.

"Undyne is strong, and while you, yourself have strength unlike any other, I know that it won't enough against her brute force. Please, I- I won't be strong enough to continue if you are not with me. I don't want to be on the side lines again and just watch as you get hurt or worse when I _know_ I can protect you. I won't be able to take it. Not -breath- not again. Please, let me protect you."

Kia fell silent as Frisk withdrew their hands from her grasp as they gasped for breathe to keep from sobbing. Angry tears slid down their cheeks anyways. They began to sign jerkily.

'And what if something happens to _you_!? I don't want to see you die! _Not again..._ '

Kia paused in confusion. She ... died? Before? When? Kia shook her head to dispel such ludicrous thoughts. Kia gave Frisk her smirk.

"Alright, if you don't believe me, then stay behind me. I'll protect you while you guard my back. Deal?"

Frisk nodded in DETERMINATION. Kia nodded back grimly. Kia stood up and hopes that Frisk will forgive her.

_Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_

As a rule, Sans didn't like doing much effort, at all. But, he had the job of being a Judge. The job entitles him to watch, listen, and make a decision with everything he knew.

Admittedly, he knew a little about Kia from observing her and her journey with Frisk. The most obvious clue to her personality was that she was very protective of Frisk, and she was caring. She gets flustered easily outside of her comfort zone. She is strong, but what the sins she has weighs down on her shoulders, mind, and SOUL. She was overly cautious and a little paranoid about everything she encountered. And, depending on the circumstances, she could be both patient and impatient.

When he first saw her, he had immediately saw her LV and her HP. He knew of course from previous runs with her genocidal kid that The Ruins could not provide that much LV for her to take, so he had assumed she was a mad genocidal maniac on the surface and somehow reproduced a deceptive little monster.

During their BATTLE, he _had_ noticed that his Karma reduction wasn't activating when she was hit. That raised an alarm bell in his mind. Without it, he couldn't win with his one pointer hits. His endurance couldn't last against her kid, it most certainly _would not_ last against her if she had fought him seriously. She _didn't_ FIGHT back. The evidence suggested that she _should have_ , but she _didn't_. Then she spoke to him about wanting to _only_ find Frisk and leave with them peacefully, he could be as confused as he wanted to be.

There was also the deal he had made with her. So far he hadn't done squat on his end, but she didn't look too bothered by it so far. It put him on edge since he didn't know what to make of her nonchalance about the important stuff she _herself_ prioritized. Well, other than helping Frisk, Kia hasn't exactly done anything wrong, so to speak, during her time in the Underground. Then her paranoia and cautiousness about everything else was not helping him, at all. He didn't understand at all.

Sans leaned back on his slippers casually as he watched both the Lady Skeleton and the human step forward to face Undyne. Sans' brow bones furrowed in thought and confusion, he could only assume that Kia understand that BATTLEs against a Monster is a one on one affair, unless the Monsters decided to even the odd with more numbers on _their_ side. Why is she stepping forward _with_ Frisk?

The wind blowing through the cavern was howling, so he couldn't hear what they were saying. Getting closer would only get him spotted. He watched the reactions and waited. Undyne stomped her foot on her perch indignant. Kia apparently said something very calmly and blandly. It just pissed Undyne off. Undyne shouted loud enough for him to here.

"I WILL NOT TOLERATE TRAITORS! PREPARE YOURSELF!"

Sans sighed. Kia was human with unfortunate _unknown_ circumstances that make her look like a monster.

The BATTLE started, without Frisk in it. Sans blinked. So that was it. Kia wanted Undyne's entire focus on her, so Undyne wouldn't attack Frisk. Frisk was pounding at the barrier with angry fists. Undyne attacked. Kia's crack and weak looking SOUL turned green. The FIGHT began.

Sans stood and watched.

_Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_

Kia smirked in weak humor was she avoided Undyne's attacks. Step, dodge, swerve, graze, block. Kia kept an eye on her status.

**KIA LV 41 HP 53/212**

Kia brought up the borrowed spear to block Undyne's heavy attacks. Her HP was extremely low since she only had a nap at DJ Ghost's house and she hasn't eaten anything in a _very_ long while. She needs to focus on staying alive.

Since the beginning of the BATTLE, Undyne's fit of anger turned into **rage** when she glanced over Kia's statistics. Here was this monster _protecting_ this human. It was humanity's fault everyone is suffering in this dark hole of despair. The Lady Skelton named Kia had an LV she has never seen so high before and yet refusing to raise her HP by eating. It was an insult not to face her properly in BATTLE! The monster was willing to live and die for the little human in the way of everyone's Hope and Dreams. This female skeleton was a traitor of the Underground, and she must die or be defeated for her to get to the human SOUL behind her, so everyone can be free.

Undyne hit harder. She moved faster. Kia's health was slowly climbing down. Finally, Kia ate some food to restore her health. She had every intention of staying alive for Frisk. For Frisk, she needed to live long enough to ensure their safety. Kia ate her perfectly preserved pasta and stuffed the used container back into bag.

**KIA LV 41 HP 100/212**

Right in front of Undyne's eye, a swirl of red misted magic and Dust created a mini tornado surrounding the Lady Skeleton she was fighting. What was going on? This doesn't usually happen when eating something. What was in that pasta? When the magic died down, Undyne took a step back in shock and even hotter rage. There stood right before her was another human. Taller, muscled, and older, but a human none the less ... and there was something wrong with this human.

There were bits of flesh still missing in gray indents or completely missing like how her hands were still phalanges. This human's SOUL looked like it could shatter any moment with how cracked, splintered, and sick it looked. Undyne will need the child's SOUL, but as she glared into the focused fleshy eyes of the older female human. Undyne saw her DETERMINATION in protecting the child.

Undyne knew about how pathetic her defense was, so she attacked more passionately. Fight. Fight! FIGHT! But her attacks were parried, dodged, and avoided. This older human kept giving her MERCY. This human wasn't FIGHTing her. How DARE she! This was their DEATH BATTLE! They should trading blows until one of them wins and the other dead or defeated!

Using the last of her turn, Undyne powered her most powerful spear to throw at the human and end this. Roaring, Undyne catapulted her javelin towards the defending human. Her eyes widening before narrowing in focus, she dodged the spear immediately.

Kia didn't get to press the MERCY button. She remembered the little thumps of her child's fists battering themselves against the BATTLE's Barrier. Those protests were right behind her when she dodged that spear. Turning in a pivot, Kia ran for Frisk's petrified body outside of the BATTLE barrier. Their squinted eyes open wide with terror at the incoming destructive javelin.

Kia ran past the glowing projectile, ignoring Undyne's shouts. Undyne had made the magic too strong to retract. She hadn't meant to attack the child before finishing off the older human. But even so, the older human should not be running away from her. It was cowardice. The barrier can hold, hopefully. Undyne charged after Kia. This was going very wrong, very fast.

Kia skidded in front of the position Frisk was behind the Barrier and faced both the speeding javelin and the charging Undyne behind it. Kia held out her hands.

Kia knew that she didn't have time to sign something to Frisk. The Barrier prevented any sound escaping the BATTLE, so she couldn't warn or shout at Frisk to run. Kia firmed her feet just before the javelin struck her!

Her hands clasped around the shaft of the spear with a death's grip, but it was no use. It slid through her fingers like wood against a sandpaper. The javelin pierced through her abused SOUL, her thin shirt, her human bones, her crumbling heart, and her back. Then, finally, it had enough power to slide slowly through the barrier.

It hadn't even nicked Frisk's SOUL, but it was so close to ending the terrified eight years old life still trusting their mom to protect them. Frisk relaxed slightly that immediate danger to them was averted , but stressed and worried for their mom as they noticed _how_ she stopped it. Kia's flesh crumbled away. She was a Skeleton Monster again. She was still alive. She _just_ made it with HP to spare, kind of. She smiled through a coughing fit around the spear. Wait, why was it still here?

**_ BOOOOOOOOOOM! _ **

The overly charged spear exploded in a magnificent explosion. It destroyed the BATTLE's Barrier thus ending the FIGHT. Undyne had stopped just within range and flew back into the cave tunnel they were fighting in front of. Her arms crossed in front of her on instinct to protect _herself_. Sans, watching a safe distance away, closed his eye sockets in resignation. Two human have died today - ! make that one... ish.

Kia had collapsed to her rump and knees, her hands limp on either side of her in the dirt. She only had one point of health left, but what did it matter? The sound of glass breaking and cracking sounded behind her. She turned slowly before stopping. She didn't want to see. She didn't want to see the light in their eyes fading. She didn't want to see their form become limp. She didn't want to see her child die.

 _"M-mommy,"_ the broken whisper behind her jolted through her mind as she turned around anyways. Just in time to see the light in their eyes fade, their form going limp, and their death in her eyes as Frisk's SOUL shattered right next her collapsing SOUL.

Kia's eye sockets were bleared as she reached desperately for Frisk. She gathered her child in her boney arms and shook them gently. Tears streaming in waterfalls onto the prone chilling cheeks of her child, Kia sobbed loudly, disgustingly, and despairingly.

"No, no no no no no, please wake up! Please wake up! WAKE UP! I CAN'T LOSE YOU TOO!"


	21. Monster by Skillet

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> well, I don't really know what you guys thought about the last chapter since no one reviewed except for dbpeel (huge thank you), but here's another chapter. Enjoy her misery! -demon's smile-

Chapter 21: Monster by Skillet

Silence reined the area as Kia sobbed. She desperately rummaged through her bag and brought out a bottle of Sea Tea. She began to dribble it into her child's mouth, hoping against hope that it would revive them. Her shaking hands were spilling the drink on their face. She couldn't see past her tears anymore. The bottle just spilled until it was all gone on the ground and in Frisk's shirt. Frisk didn't move, didn't blink, didn't drink. They were gone.

Suddenly, another sound of shattering came into the ears of the watching Monsters for wind had stopped it's howling for but a moment. Sans focused his sight on Kia's SOUL as something peculiar happened. A sickly red film that covered Kia's SOUL for some time now slid off of the abused and battered SOUL of the older human. Kia went silent. Her SOUL finally shattered with the liquid DT spanning webbed strings between the pieces. Sans grimaced.

The barely fixed red SOUL formed from the sickly red film and took on the form of a child that looked similar to Frisk, only with open eyes, a paler complexion, and a green and yellow stripped sweater. Sans hadn't really seen Chara in all the reruns the kid had done, so he was actually surprised that Chara really was still with them. He heard a gasp behind him. He turned just in time to see a flash of yellow disappear into the ground. That flash of yellow was actually Flowey. He reappeared next to Kia, in front of Chara.

Kia didn't respond. Tears still streamed down her face onto Frisk. Her eye sockets dark. Her boney arms wrapped loosely around her dead child. No one could tell if she _really was_ dead or simply mentally absent in a comatose state. Once Chara had let go of Kia's SOUL, it had started to fall apart towards the ground in thick and thin web strands stretching.

It hung in the air, and the dim shriveled SOUL slowly dripped pieces of itself onto the ground with the liquid DETERMINATION still oozing between the pieces, holding it forcefully together until the end. In the oozing garnet, if you squint real hard, you would be able to see the pieces of different colored SOULs sliding down along with Kia's SOUL, shriveled and dyeing along with Kia.

Chara ignored the happy chatty Aserial-turn-Flowey in favor of observing the two humans they had been leeching off of during their time in the Underground. Undyne looked on in confusion disgust, and horror, not knowing what to do until she noticed Sans popping up next her giving her adrenaline magic filled body a start and just barely avoiding hitting him at the last second. This was wearing down her nerves. Everything was so confusing and wrong now.

But one thing was for sure was that the human child was dead. Their SOUL ready to be picked up, put back together and given to King Asgore to free all of the Underground. She could just deal with the experiment-gone-wrong-being-thing once it submits and give it to Alphus to examine later. The only thing, or person, stopping her was Sans as he held tight to her arm. He refused to budge as she tried to move. His intense stare was on the group in front of them.

She was going to demand and shout at him to release her, when the ghost child spoke, chilling her to her core.

"You know, for one sooo strong, sooo far away, and sooo resilient you cry and feel a whole lot. Is this really what happens when you are DETERMINED enough to force yourself to feel the emotions you lost so willingly long ago? Hehe, it's kind of pathetic really. With all the power, you could have satisfied that craving you have hidden for so long. You know it too, don't you?"

Undyne tensed and shivered. Sans' grip turned to stone. It was hard to follow what the child was saying, but it got a reaction out of Kia. She tilted her head up to listen better. Chara smirked. Flowey caught on. While he was confident he wouldn't, _couldn't_ get caught up in this, he had this _ghost_ of a feeling like he _will_ die in the end anyways. Doubt was seeded in his roots. He needed to be extra careful. The only person to really survive, well technically, this would be Chara.

"All you have to is _let go_ "

All of sudden, the pair of Monsters understood what the adopted child of royalty was persuading Kia to do. Kia laid Frisk on their back and folded their tiny slim hand on top of their front; her hands were steady. She let go.

But only to pick up the pieces of Frisk's SOUL. Sans let go of Undyne to walk over to Kia, so as to not startle the broken woman. He needed to try and make her come back to her senses. He was close enough see now that she held all of Frisk's SOUL pieces cradled carefully in her hands like she did with the glass cup so long ago in his house. She placed the pieces under Frisk's hands and stilled. She breathed shakily. Her tears were tampering off.

Before Sans could get a foot nearer, Kia straightened and exhaled deeply. Chara seemed triumphant. Their face stretched wide in their dark smile and empty eyes. Flowey grinned maliciously towards Sans. Flowey decided to gloat in the moment.

"Bye-bye smiley trash-!"

Kia's hands shot out quicker than anyone could react. One hand grasped around Chara's SOUL like she could actually grasp it. The other clamped onto Flowey's stem and up rooted him roughly from the ground. Kia stood with the struggling duo. The ghost and weed struggled until Flowey shriveled up, having the DETERMINATION and magic sucked out of him. Chara then started to cackle in hysterical fear and realization of _what exactly_ Kia was, until the outline of their SOUL within Kia's grasp shattered from the pressure. The poltergeist disappeared into the air. Kia began to turn towards the remainder of the people here.

Sans back tracked until he came to the intensifying Undyne about to shout her war cry and charge. He short cutted them both to his house. He needed to send word for evacuation immediately before Undyne is coordinated enough to shout at him for interfering and war marching off to face the even greater threat Kia had created herself out to be.

The population of the Underground is in danger. Maybe even the Surface too.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

Kia was left alone.

Kia breathed heavily as her emotions were started to overcome her. She caught a glance at the peacefully sleeping Frisk. Kia screamed in agony! Tears of darkness dripped sluggishly down her cheek bones as she covered her face with her hands. She wanted to hide from what she had become. She was a human SOUL experiment gone wrong. She was a monstrosity. She was a _murder_.

She wasn't a daughter. She wasn't a sister. She wasn't an Aunt. She wasn't a wife. She wasn't a mother. She wasn't even considered human anymore.

She was angry in every sense of the word. She was enraged at herself. Too many people have died because of her. Most of those murders were under the pretense of a weak excuse of self-defense and ending their suffering. All _Excuses!_

_It was all her fault._

_She should have been stronger._

_She should have looked for another way._

Kia was just about to run into the cave to destroy it and have it cave in on herself when an out of breathe Undyne came back. Both Females stared at each other before Kia remembered. It was _Undyne's_ javelin that killed Frisk. It was _her_ who killed her child. It wasn't _all_ her fault. It was that Fish Faced Monster's fault too!

Kia simmered and boiled in her rage. Kia's hands dug into her bag harshly and one by one devoured every morsel of food and drank every drop of drink until her HP was completely full. Throwing the bag aside, Kia stood straighter in the skin of a human. What fat, muscle, and organs she had, was gone leaving her with just skin to cover her bones. She looked like shriveled up mummy without wrappings that was weakly preserved for centuries. Even her human heart had turned to dust.

Kia shook her head angrily and focused inwardly. Soon, magic from the barrier could be physically seen streaming towards Kia. Kia's SOUL having been roughly patched up started to flood a dark shimmering black as it rapidly turned right side up. The cracks and seams started to seal themselves shut with this menacing sludge as Kia's SOUL started to distance itself away from its host. The SOULs residing within it started panicking. If they stayed trapped in there, they would be unknowingly absorbed by Kia's own SOUL. Her despair and rage was repairing her SOUL using foreign magic tainted with harmful intentions. They needed to stop her from destroying herself.

Undyne couldn't move. What she was watching was horrific. This creature was stealing magic! She didn't know where the magic was being stolen from or how it was doing it, but she will stop the process! She just needs to overcome this pressure.

Kia's body was undergoing changes as well. Darkness oozed out from her insides dissolving her skin and darkening, strengthening her bones into carbon fiber. Her silver stained teeth have sharpened into a pin pointed grin. Her hair disappeared, but in its place was a haze of garnet magic, thick and curled and wavy as it used to be. Her eye sockets had their slit garnet eye lights from her Protective Mode. Her ragged, tattered, and barely hanging on clothes and shoes were sizzled off to be replaced with a stark white hospital gown. All her phalanges were sharpened.

Kia staggered when she was finished readjusting herself. She wasn't used to feeling so ... free. Kia looked at her carbon phalange fingers, griping them and releasing. She felt sooo light. Kia laughed heartily, hopping foot to foot. Tensions rolled off her clavicles and shoulder blades.

A war cry screeched. Kia immediately remembered where she was. She grinned in pain and rage. She ran towards the fish faced monster who killed her child. Red SOUL magic whispered along her hand phalanges. A naginata formed within her hands. Like Undyne, Kia had trained with staffs before she went with the blade at the end.

Undyne was out of her element. The Battle area didn't form. This creature was attacking relentlessly without turns. She was on the _defensive_. Undyne growled in fury. She blocked another heavy blow she could sense more than see. She steeled through a wince as light grazes appeared on her armor and face, slowly trickling dust. Slowly, but surely, Undyne was gaining ground in _learning_. Undyne jumped back to gain some distance before the quick little menace streaks towards her again with that hauntingly painful grin and rage smoldering slit garnet eye lights,

She will adapt to this new fighting style! She will defeat this creature with justice. Passion! And DETER-!

The blade of a garnet misty blade had just nearly pierced through her SOUL and chest. Undyne choked on shock as her spear faded in utter disbelief! Papyrus had restrained her!

"NYEHEHEHE! THE GREAT PAPYRUS TO THE RESCUE! EVERYTHING WILL BE ALRIGHT NOW THAT I AM HERE!"

Undyne began to thrash in his grip. She yelled and shouted censored profanities since she had caught a glimpse of Sans near the dead smaller human. Then it processed that _Sans_ was next to the fallen human. This made Undyne quiet down a moment to observe what had happened to her opponent. It had frozen, just before killing her. It just stood there in position to strike her down dead with her eye lights stuffed out and its weapon gone.

Undyne rolled off the relaxed grip of Papyrus as he NYEd in delight that she had calmed down to see the situation. Undyne focused her one eye on Sans. He just stood there next to smaller dead human, holding something. What was he holding?

And WHO the hell are the multiple ghostly figures in varying colors standing around him?!


	22. The End

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys sorry for being late. I've been creating chapters in advance and got writer's block on the chapter after this, but i have cleared it one freezing morning in a half awake state I was granted an idea. Alright let's get rolling!

Chapter 22: The End

Kia couldn't move.

She could feel it.

Hands wrapped tight around it.

Rage burned through her bones and torched her mane into crackling flames of crimson fury! How dare he!? How dare he touch what is hers!

Pain rocketed throughout her new body. She dropped to her knees as he squeezed her tainted SOUL. She couldn't breathe.

Her hair gentled to a candle glow. Kia just knelt with her back towards the last person in the Underground she had any trust left. Kia clenched her fists tight and pounded them into the ground once before relaxing. Her shoulders lined with tension. What was the point anyway anymore.  Slowly, she raised her hands in surrender and just as slowly, stood up. Turning to stare coldly at the other skeleton, her stare turn wide and incredulous.

There, surrounding the skeleton with her SOUL, were the people who have died by her hands and her deceased husband, all in their respective colors. They would either stare at her grimly or not look at her at all. Kia set her jaw. How they were here she doesn't know, but they are here. They have witnessed what she became.

Sans moved closer to her. The crowd of ghosts moved along with him. Kia could instantly feel the creep of her emotional pain dripping into her being. Sans took another step. Closer and closer it came, it creeped into her physical body. It wracked her with grief, the years of repressed emotions and current torture bubbling up. Kia looked at everyone, but she avoided looking at Kai. He believed in her the most.

Sans inched closer another step. Caging her tainted SOUL within his hands, he came ever nearer ... and so did the others.

Kia turned and bolted.

She stumbled when Sans squeezed her SOUL in surprise that she was running away. She passed a solemn Papyrus restraining an irritated Undyne ready to shout and run after her with her magic spears at the ready.

She couldn't take this. No, not yet. She wasn't ready.

Kia continued to run, a void in her being growing with every step she took away.

**Earlier**

Sans had just given out the emergency evacuation signal to Alphus when Undyne shot out the door of his house, cursing his name and roaring for any and all monsters to get out of her way. Sans rubbed his face in frustration. He sighed.

Papyrus then came in looking confused and distraught. It took Sans all of three minutes to explain what happened in summary before Papyrus also shot out the door to pursue Undyne to stop her from making any mistakes. Sans sat heavily on his couch and sunk into it to collect his wits.

Everything went wrong so fast he didn't have time to react. The kid died. That broke his promise to Toriel again, but then again he was half expecting a time lapse as usual when the kid died. He still expected it. He was waiting for it.

_It_ _**didn't** _ _happen._

It was then as he stared at Kia's sobbing form, that this time, he really did break his promise. It was also then that he fully understood _how much_ the kid meant to her. He had been hoping against hope that she wouldn't take revenge out on the Underground with how much she cared _not_ to hurt anyone, but then Chara happened. Now everything went to shit when Kia killed the poltergeist and the weed.

Sans should probably stand up and go check how the evacuation is going. Suddenly, about two dozen broken SOULs shot through his house walls and right up to his face.

" _ **Wait!"**_

After that, it was just a jumble of voices sounding panicked and scared. Sans couldn't make heads or tails of anything. He couldn't even understand where these shattered _Human_ SOULs came from in the first place. With the human SOULs up in the castle and the SOULs in front of him, there was enough to break the barrier twice with five, or six if counting Frisk, left over.

They didn't quieten until a green SOUL flouted up to him and formed a male human in the same shade of green. They backed off as if _ashamed_. Sans eyed him warily. The Green Man was taller than Sans but shorter than Papyrus. By the shades of green this guy is made of, Sans guesses he had dark hair and tanned skin. Mr. Green was solemn and serious. His shoulders tense.

"Hello, I apologize for my companions for startling you," Mr. Green starts sincerely, "I am Kai. I am ... was Kia's husband."

Sans stood stunned. While he knew Kia would need a spouse to have Frisk, Sans' mind just sort of skipped the notion that she had ever married. Kai smiled ruefully but kindly. Sans could see Frisk in this man. He could see _a lot_ of Frisk in this man. San's SOUL gave a strange ping for Kia. That must be so sad to always have a reminder of her dead husband in her child and since they had just died recently ... ah fuck, why should he care? She is probably on a rage killing by now in her grief.

"We need your help Sans the skeleton."

That firm and sharp request snapped Sans out of his dark thoughts. Why would they need _his_ help? Kai suddenly stiffened in alarm. He looked unbearably sad and guilty.

"She has shut herself off from her SOUL. She is corrupting it to kill herself once and for all, but we need to stop her before it is too late. You are the only one she has any trust in that is available to help her. We do not have time, so please, we need your answer quick."

"Will it stop her from killing everyone else?"

Kai contemplated for a moment, but gave a nod in confirmation.

"Fine, what do I need to do?"

Kai visually relaxed and smiled at Sans. Sans could only see the kid he took to Grillby's not too long ago. It almost seemed like Frisk only inherited some of Kia's Determination, habits, and genocide tendencies when influenced. Every spirit shuffled and gave some kind of grateful response to Sans' willingness to help.

"You need to catch her SOUL and try to talk to her."

**Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

Kia couldn't feel anything.

Her steps had slowed to a walk. She shuffled mindless and numb. She couldn't even feel the drastic change in temperature as her foot sunk into the snow. On she walked down the desolate road and darkened town, the town was deserted. She didn't take notice. It was her fault anyways if she knew, but she didn't care anymore. She didn't have anything to care _with_ anymore. She walked down her road of self-destruction.

That is, until something caught her eye. A single blaring defiant light in the dark town shone right next to her and above the door. _Grillby's_ the sign said. There was a lite OPEN sign but... was it open?

Kia knocked on the door. No response. She jiggled the knob. The door swung open. Kia stared into the empty bar blankly. She closed the door behind her and made her way into the bar. There wasn't a bartender. Kia slumped onto the lightly greasy wood of the bar top. Kia sat there in silence. Temple on the surface, she stared at the wall.

Until, she heard a _whoosh_. Warmth crept over her bones and red curly, wavy, candle fire like hair. Kia closed her eye sockets and waited. A couple of minutes passed. Nothing happened. Kia sat her mandible on the bar top to look up at the bar tender with hazy garnet slit eye lights. Pain wrecked through her body as a harsh squeeze was administrated to her tainted SOUL for unknown reasons. Kia whimpered and drew her boney arms up to somehow cover her wince.

A camp fire crackle and pops drew her frazzled focus onto the fiery being quietly cleaning a glass. Somehow she understood what he said. She sat up straighter. She regarded the person in front of her.

"What would you like to have, Miss?"

Kia smirked tiredly though she didn't feel it. What she did feel was that the careful hold on her SOUL had switched hands to a much more painful handler. Kia endured the pain to see an old crumpled menu slide her way. Kia didn't pick it up. With a heavy sigh, she looked back at him. She smiled as a most painful squeeze could be felt.

"I'm sorry. I don't have any money to pay for anything. Besides, it would be best not to serve someone like me."

His head tilted. Kia clenched a fist as the pressure increased enough that her carbon fiber bones creaked. Someone was trying to crush her SOUL.

Kia stayed silent, hoping the fire person would leave after a while. There was a hissing noise that sounded suspiciously like a sigh. Then it was cold. He had left. Kia slumped back onto the table top but with her forehead. Secretly, she had hoped that he would have stayed, so he could witness her death. To prove that she had died once and for all to the others searching for her, so that all this trouble and heartache could end. And, to have some kind company until it was all over.

There were a couple of clinking and one soft thunk before warmth, much warmer than before came to her side instead of in front of her. Looked at him questioningly, Kia noticed that he had placed two clean glasses between them along with something else she recognize, a Root Beer Ale bottle. Kia sat up as she stared at the beverage.

When Kia was human and on the surface, she didn't drink too often, more like rarely. She disliked the taste of beer. She _hated_ the taste of wine. She was too wary to try any other fru fru drinks or hard drinks since she had Frisk to think about.

It was actually on a lunch break at work that she pulled out her sandwich and glass bottle of Root Beer _Soda_. One of her coworkers had thought she had absolutely hated alcoholic drinks and would throw a fit and get fired when they switch out the labels on her drink for the carbonated 5.9% alcoholic sarsaparilla drink.

She had noticed when she took a small whiff of her drink before placing it on her lips, a caution that became a habit. She knew that this wasn't her drink, so she dumped it down the break room's sink and took a foam cup of filtered water instead. Later that day, her boss had done rounds during her prankster coworker's break and noticed that they were drinking her soda with the alcoholic label on it. A really dumb thing to do in her opinion.  They were soon fired and root beer soda and ale were banned from the break room. Even when it was their own fault for getting fired they still cursed at her for losing their job, but the drink had peaked her interest. Since then when she had a moment to herself and Frisk was asleep, she would drink one to two bottles before stopping and just enjoy the slight buzz and the taste.

The bottle right now looked a little roughed up, but still whole and intact. It looked like it was frosted before it was picked up by the fire man. Thawing enough to drink, but cool enough to drink pleasantly.

Kia smiled softly as the bartender pours two drinks from the 12 fl oz bottle. He grabbed his and took a sip. He turned a brighter orange as he hummed in pleasure. Kia chuckled in empty and absent amusement and grabbed hers. She stared down at her drink and took a sip. It was a little flat, but it still tasted good.

Kia cupped her drink on the bar top as pain made her gasp in surprise as her SOUL was suddenly under immense pressure. Her forearm and forehead nocked on the bar top as she whimpered. An unbearably warm large hand landed on her shoulder in concern. Tears sprang as a long distant memory of her Husband's hand doing the same, but this time he wasn't here, but the kind bartender.

Kia pulled herself together. It was time. Kia smiled gently and genuinely as tears collected in her eye sockets towards the concerned bar tender. She raised her glass with shaky phalanges. He was sad, but raised his in a toast like her and clinked glasses gently. They both took a sip.

Kia's SOUL shattered.

Kia's body slumped back with her glass drained and clutched in her death's grip. Her bones made contact with the ground. A dead human skeleton once more with a glass just under her rib cage on her hospital gown, unbroken without a crack, she laid there with a sad bar tender still taking a few more sips of his drink on his stool. Her bones started the crackle as her anger and foreign hate burned through her remains, turning her body to ash, her magic dissipated leaving a pile of dust with a sticky glass on its side on top.

Something shined from in the ashes, a cord of soft purple fabric with one silver ring. Her wedding ring stringed on the extra fabric of Frisk's infant blanket, half buried in her dust.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> or is it really the end? Muwahahahahahahaha!!!


	23. Author's Note

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> apologies and transfer

Author's note

Alright guys, I have finally made up my mind about this, but I'm going to make a Part 2 of Mother'sTale and use the 23rd chapter of Part one as the first chapter.

Sorry about all this.

I'll post all this when I get a response in either the comments below or a review, so I know that someone knows what I'm doing for now.

 

Alright, Part two is up!  It is called Mommy'sTale. (not really creative, I know)


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